Analgesic effects of sucrose were known to the prophet

BMJ 1995;311:1169 (28 October)

Letters

Analgesic effects of sucrose were known to the prophet

EDITOR,--Muslim doctors in Britain will have been interestedto read Nora Haouari and colleagues' paper showing the analgesiceffects of sucrose.¹ Practising Muslims all over the world rubpieces of chewed dates inside the mouth of newborn babies beforecircumcision on the grounds that the last Prophet Muhammad didthis many times to newborn children.

Copying the prophet in all his actions (Sunnah) and obeyingall his sayings (Ahadith) are basic to our belief, and the medicalwisdom of giving dates (which are 70-80% sugar in the form ofglucose and fructose) before circumcision is clear. I recommendthat the authors should investigate the use of sugar from datesin their trials of sugary substances as analgesia.

President Islamic Medical Association, London N4 2DA

A Majid Katme

Haouari N, Wood C, Griffiths G, Levene M. The analgesic effect of sucrose on full term infants: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ 1995;310:1498-500. (10 June.) [Abstract/Free Full Text]

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The analgesic effect of sucrose in full term infants: a randomised controlled trial: Nora Haouari, Christopher Wood, Gillian Griffiths, and Malcolm Levene
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