Medicine was not restricted to just magic as many people believe, but was primarily divided into substances and surgery. A majority of the medicine was derived from plants, many of which were imported. Most were not beneficial but harmful, but some proved to be very effective on illnesses. Garlic was used to treat bacterial infections, iron salts were used to solve the iron deficiency from malaria, and lichens were used for tuberculosis. Surgery included lancing of abscesses, amputations due to gangrene, and sutures for harelip. Magic was employed, but often as a last resort when other methods failed.[1]

(1) http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~cpercy/courses/6361Hamid.htm