Al Haytham Vs. Al Zahrawi

Out of the many prominent Islamic contributors to society, two of the most important are Ibn Al Haytham and Al Zahrawi. Both men lived in separate parts of the world during 900 and 1000 and were leaders in mathematics, anatomy, and other branches of science. Al Haytham developed the first scientific method, which is used by nearly all scientists today, as well as conducted numerous studies on light, the human eye, and astronomy. In contrast, Al Zahrawi was a pioneer in surgery, inventing the first form of catgut internal stitches and insisting that surgeons should be better trained in the medical field. Their accomplishments are still recognized in modern culture, although they are not necessarily always given the credit they deserve. Born …show more content…
His goal was to make sure that all surgeons were properly trained and not just haphazardly operating on patients. In addition, he was the first to use catgut as a material for modern internal stiches so a second surgery would not be necessary to remove them. However, his biggest accomplishments in this field were done to ensure that patients felt comfortable during the procedure and they were getting the best care possible. For example, Al Zahrawi was one of the first to perform tonsillectomies and mastectomies, as well as choosing to use concealed knives in order to keep patients calm. Also, he wrote about healing broken bones and operating while the client was under anesthesia. In fact, he was also one the first people to perform an amputation. Because he believed that human life was so sacred, he knew that sometimes it was not appropriate to take unnecessary risks and made sure the patient felt comfortable during all stages of the surgery. After working as a doctor and dentist for half a century, he passed away around …show more content…
While they are not necessarily given the credit they deserve, their achievements can be found in numerous different places, such as ordinary households to the largest hospitals around the world. To summarize, Al Haytham’s discoveries in the field of optics has allowed so many successors to create technologies using lights, eventually leading to the discovery of electricity. Al Zahrawi was a pioneer in the world of surgery, developing new ways to comfort patients and better operate on them. The contributions will continue to impact the world for eternity and will allow other scientists and mathematicians to create new ways to change human