Bites from reptiles and arthropods, including snakes, scorpions, and tarantulas, were frequent events. During the Safavid era, Iranians employed a variety of techniques to alleviate the complications and effects of poisoning resulting from these bites and their venom. These methods included treatment prescriptions from sages, references to medical prescriptions found in historical medical texts, and self-treatment practices rooted in the popular medicine that prevailed in their culture. The method of explanation in this research is descriptive-analytical and the method of data collection is library-based and based on data collection through taking notes from historical sources, travelogues of European travelers and ambassadors, and medical books in Iran during the Safavid era. The research findings suggest that the sages of the Safavid period used almost the same methods as the earlier physicians with slight modifications to address the bites of these poisonous and stinging creatures. However, the general populace and residents of cities that were known for presence of these biting and poisonous animals, despite believing in amulets and charms and even using them to avoid being bitten by these biting animals, relied mostly on treatment methods specific to their area of residence or folk medicine including consumption of milk, placing the animal in a basket, spinning around to vomit out the poison and carrying copper coins to apply to the bitten area in times of emergency for treatment.
Ahangaran A, Khalandi A. Bites and their treatment methods in the Safavid period “Case study: Snake, scorpion and tarantula bites”. jiitm 2025; 16 (3) :209-222 URL: http://jiitm.ir/article-1-1796-en.html