Introduction of Modern Medicine and Its Evolutionary Aspects in Iran, Qajar Era (with emphasis on pictorial manuscripts)

The present study deals with the analysis of modern medicine and its evolutionary aspects in Iran, Qajar Era with emphasis on pictorial manuscripts. Since health and treatment in Qajar Era was completely unorganized and unstable, introduction of modern medicine can be considered as a new chapter in the medicine history of Iran in the Era of Qajar. The data of this study were collected from among first- hand library sources. This research aims to answer this question: what was the position of modern medicine among the politicians and different spheres of society and what are the factors affecting this evolution. In order to answer the said question, it was supposed that a set of factors involved in the evolution and expansion of modern medicine including the influence of the thought of superiority of modern medicine, the superiority of new education in Dar Ul-Funun, the interest of Qajar kings in using foreign physicians, advantages and positive results of services of modern medicine to society such as hospitals, inoculation, quarantine and individual and public health. Alongside these factors, passage of time, demand and interest of Qajar society which composed of different spheres and pictorial medical manuscripts of Qajar era that contained artistic and aesthetic descriptions as well as anatomical and medical descriptions resulted in prosperity and expansion of modern medicine. The finding of the study, while approving the hypothesis, indicated that all of these factors helped replace traditional medicine with modern medicine during modernity in that era. However, traditional medicine continued its life alongside modern medicine. Therefore, through a descriptive analytical method, the researcher endeavored to answer the question: what were the factors affecting modern medicine by expressing the pictorial aspects and relationship between medical sciences and graphics in Qajar Era? And what were the factors affecting the evolution of modern medicine in Qajar society?
Did factors such as hospitals, modern clinics, healthcare preservation centers, quarantine, publications and financial power play a role in the process? Hence, the main goal of this study is to evaluate evolutionary aspects of modern medicine in Iran, Qajar era with emphasis on pictorial manuscripts as well as the changes in people’s outlook on preparation of infrastructures and acculturation to accept and develop the factors of this medicine.