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Night blindness and ancient remedy
1Department of Cardiology, Heart Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
Summary
Ancient civilizations effectively treated night blindness using animal liver. Modern science now confirms this remedy works because liver is rich in Vitamin A, the nutrient deficient in night blindness.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Nutritional Science
- Medical History
Background:
- Night blindness, or nyctalopia, has afflicted humans throughout history.
- Ancient civilizations documented treatments for night blindness, primarily using animal liver.
- The underlying cause of night blindness was unknown in ancient times.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the historical use of animal liver in treating night blindness.
- To connect ancient remedies with modern understanding of Vitamin A deficiency.
Main Methods:
- Historical review of ancient medical texts and practices.
- Observation of a patient treated with a traditional liver-based remedy.
Main Results:
- Ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Arabs successfully treated night blindness with animal liver.
- The observed patient also showed positive results from the traditional treatment.
Conclusions:
- Animal liver was an effective historical treatment for night blindness.
- Modern understanding confirms that night blindness results from Vitamin A deficiency, which is abundant in liver.
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