Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

Hammam an Excellent Way of Disease Prevention and Cure with
Special Reference to Kulliate Nafeesi
Mohd. USMAN, Shamim IRSHAD,
A. HAKEEM, QZ AHMAD
Third Room
This room is hot and dry because this room has furnace.
The heat of this room resolve the body fluids so much that
the water used in this room does not neutralize the dryness
produced by heat of this room.
Mijaz of First room
The first room of Hammam is Mubrid and Muratab. It
produces Barudat and Ratubat.
Mijaz of second room
The second room of Hammam is Musakhin and Muratab.
It produces heat in the body, due to its air and moist
due to its water.
Mijaz of third room
The third room of Hammam is musakhin and Mujafif.
Effect of Hammam
The natural effect of Hammam is that the hot air warms
the body and water ads to the moisture.
• Excessive dissipation of innate heat (vitality caused by
the hot air of the bath house produces cold and excessive
dispersion of natural secretion lead to dryness of
tissues.
• Water produces heat as well as cold in the body, it produces
heat when it is warm but when tepid it produces
cold and moisture.
Preventive Aspect of Hammam
For the prevention of health a physically matured adult
person a bath with sweet water ( Aab-e-Shireen) of moderate
heat is beneficial such person does not require a bath
which induces resolution because his body is inwardly
pure. He needs Hammam only to drive gentle warmth and
a moderate amount of moisture from it.
• A bath taken immediately after digestion i.e. when the
food has fully digested but stomach is not yet completely
empty produces moderate increase of weight and is
generally beneficial.
• For the prevention of obesity steam bath (Hammam
Muariq) on empty stomach is beneficial because it induces
resolution of effect substances & fat (Repletion of
connective tissues spaces with side or mucoid change in
the fluid may produced obesity.
• Hammam reduces the dryness of skin and provide gentle
warmth and moderate amount of moisture.
• Hammam prevents skin diseases by removing that sebaceous
material and microbes from the skin.
• Hammam reduces repletion by excretion of effete & superfluous
matter thus prevents the body from diseases
like disease of intemperament, obstruction, spasm,
stiffness etc.
• Hammam induces sleep.
• Hammam increases peripheral circulations and draws
nutrient to the surfaces of the skin.
Curative aspect of Hammam
Unani physician are very much skilled in use of therapeutic
(medicated) Hammam modifies certain pathological
process which correct the body system to bring back the
physiological processes.
• In case of obesity Hammam accelerates metabolic rate
and increase the consumption of stored calories and
elimination of certain toxic substances with excessive
amount of water by activating the sweat glands in this
way the body get rid off excess amount of fat, electrolytes
and water accumulated in the body.
• Ascites and generalized oedema are the disease of excessive
accumulation of fluid in the interstitial spaces,
Hammam excretes the excess fluid by sweating and thus
relative the disease like ascitis, generalized oedema.
• Gout is a metabolic disorder it is characterized by hyper
uricemia (increased level of uric acid in blood) and
deposition of urate crystals in the interphalanel joint.
Hammam excessive amount of uric acid with sweat,
• According to Unani physician the use of Sulphur water
in Hammam is beneficial for the treatment of scabies,
eczema, modern scientist have examined and formed
that sulphur kills the causative organisms of scabies and
eczema by arresting their survival &growth.
• Sulphur water soothes &warm the nerves and relive
pain, lassitude &convulsion. Sulphur water also cleans
the surfaces of the skin from furuncles & bad ulcers.
Sulphur water is also beneficial in pannus & vitiligo
lepra.
• Copper containing water (iron containing water) for facial
paralysis, paralysis of uvula, and ptosis.
• Use of ferruginous water (Iron containing water) copper
containing water and saline water for bath are beneficial
for disease depending on cold coldness & moisture,
head and chest when humours are constantly flow-
ISHIM 2011-2012
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