Health Protection Measures in Safavīd Irān

One of the most interesting and neglected aspects of social history studies is the issue of health from a historical perspective. Therefore the present study seeks to investigate the perception of the Safavid physicians about the body and what measures they used to maintain health or to deal with and treat various diseases. The present study is an applied study in terms of purpose. The health measures identified in the present study can be considered efficient, effective, and low-cost interventions in providing a healthy lifestyle by healthcare providers. Data were collected by library method and materials were presented by descriptive-analytical method. The findings of the present study indicate that the physicians of the Safavid era, by paying attention to the opinions of former physicians, defined the body and concepts such as wellness, health and disease in the framework of the teachings of humors view and under the title of “umure-e tabi’iyyah”. The behavioral approach of physicians by referring to the opinions of former physicians as well as their own experiences, in the first step was aimed at protecting the health of the body by maintaining the balance of the body's temperament and restoring the balance to it when the disease occurs. Keeping the body healthy had a direct relationship with observance of physicians preventive recommendations regarding the six principles of “Hava, Makoul va mashroob, Harakat va sokon, Khab va bidari, Aaraz-e nafsani, Ehtebas va estefrag”. In the second step, in the case of disease, according to the pathogen, different treatment methods were used.