The great Shaykh Abú 'Alí Síná (Avicenna) relates as follows in the “Book of the Origin and the Return” (Kitábu'l-Mabdá wa'l-Ma'ád), at the end of the section on Contingent Being:—
“A curious anecdote hath come to me which I have heard related.*
A certain physician presented himself at the court of one of the House of Sámán, and was well received, and rose to so high a position of trust that he used to enter the women's apartments and feel the pulses of its carefully-guarded and closely-veiled inmates. One day he was sitting with the King in the women's apartments in a place where it was impossible for any [other] male creature to pass. The King demanded food, and it was brought by the handmaidens. One of these presided over the table. As she was placing it on the ground, she bent down.*
When she desired to stand upright again, she was unable to do so, but remained as she was, by reason of a rheumatic swelling of the joints.*
The King turned to the physician and said, ‘Cure her at once in whatever way you can.’ Here was no opportunity for any physical method of treatment, since for such no appliances were available. So the physician bethought himself of a psychical treatment, and bade them remove the veil from her head, whereon she made a movement. Then he bade them remove her skirt,*
whereon she raised her head and stood upright.
“‘What method of procedure was this?’ enquired the King. ‘At that juncture,’ replied the physician, ‘a rheumatic swelling appeared in her joints. I bade them uncover her head, that perchance she might be ashamed, and might make some movement because this condition was displeasing to her. So the whole of her head and face was uncovered, and anger was apparent therein.*
I then abandoned this, and ordered her skirt to be removed. She was filled with shame, and a flush of heat was produced within her, such that it dissolved the rheumatic humour. Then she stood upright, and, restored to her erect position, became sound once again.’
“Had this physician not been skilled in his art, he would never have thought of this treatment; and had he failed, he would have forfeited the King's regard. Hence a knowledge of natural science*
and an apprehension of its facts form a part of this subject.”