History of the heart and cardiotherapy as presented in Near Eastern, North African, and the Spanish medical and pharmaceutical texts from the ninth to the thirteenth century AD

The primary purpose of this dissertation is to present a historical picture of what the major medical and pharmaceutical scholars wrote about the anatomy of the heart, the pulse, heart disease, and cardiotherapy during the “golden age” of medicine and pharmacy (9th to the 13th century AD) in the region spanning from Spain and North Africa in the West to the borders with China and India in the East. All of the known major medical and pharmaceutical texts of the region and time period are examined. In addition to the specific study of the heart, general medical and pharmaceutical trends and historical patterns are also addressed.