Page 1 of 51 Ophthalmologists of the Medieval Islamic World by M. Zafer
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Ophthalmologists of the Medieval Islamic World by M. Zafer Wafai, MD, FACS, FICS, FRCOphth Page 1 of 51 Preface The main purpose of this monograph is to review some of the contributions made by ophthalmologists from Muslim civilisation between the 9th century CE (early 3rd century AH) and the late 14th century CE (middle 7th century AH). The work is based upon my personal effort to collect microfilms and photocopies of Arabic manuscripts from public libraries in Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Rome, Paris, London, and El Escorial in Spain. The late Professor M. Rawwas Qal'aji and I had the opportunity to edit most of these manuscripts and publish them through different organisations. Part one highlights the most important contributions known prior to visiting specifics of each book. Chronologically, it deals with books which specialise in ophthalmology and are written by ophthalmologists. Part two also appears in chronological order and discusses chapters concerning ophthalmology in Arabic textbooks on general medicine. This part is terminated by a note on the medical code of ethics amongst those ophthalmologists. “The Arabs held high the torch of medical science in all parts of the Islamic world, from the river Oxus to the Guadalquivir. They added a new knowledge at a time when in the European countries a nearly complete darkness had settled. I would like to mention here only that the European ophthalmologists of the middle-ages had no other teachers than the Arabians.” Julius Hirschberg 1 LIST OF CONTENTS Preface Introduction Part I: 1. Jibrāīl Ibn Bakhtyashu’ Ibn Georges (D 213 AH/828 CE). رﺳﺎﻟﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺻب اﻟﻌﻴن ”Nerve Ophthalmic the About Treatise“ 2. Yūḥanna Ibn Māsawayh (D 243 AH/857 CE). دﻏل اﻟﻌﻴن Al-‘Ayn Daghal ﻣﻌﺮﻓﺔ ﻣﮫﻧﺔ اﻟﻛﺣﺎﻟﻴن ”Answers and Questions Profession: Oculist the Knowing“ 1 Julius Hirschberg, The History of Ophthalmology, Volume II: The Middle Ages. J. D. Wayenborgh Verlag, Germany, 1985. Translated by: Professor Frederick C. Blodi, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Iowa. Page 2 of 51 3. Ḥunayn Ibn Ishāq Al-‘Ābādī (D 255 AH/878 CE). اﻟﻌﺷﺮ ﻣﻘﺎﻻت ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﻴن ”Eye the on Treatises Ten“ 4. Thābit Ibn Qurrah Al-Ḥarrānī (D 288 AH/900 CE). اﻟﺑﺻﺮو اﻟﺑﺻﻴﺮة ”Perception and Vision“ 5. Abū ‘Ali Khalaf Al-Ṭūlūnī (D 302 AH/914 CE). “The End and Sufficient Construction of the Eyes, Their Shape, Treatment and Remedies” اﻟﻧﮫﺎﻳﺔ واﻟﻛﻔﺎﻳﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺗﺮﻛﻴب اﻟﻌﻴﻧﻴن و ﺧﻠﻘﺘﮫﻣﺎ و ﻋﻼﺟﮫﻣﺎ و أدوﻳﺘﮫﻣﺎ 6. Abū ‘Abdullāh Moḥammad Ibn Sa'īd Al-Tamīmī Al-Maqdesī (D 370AH/980 CE). “Treatise About the Nature of Ophthalmia, Its Classification, Causes and Treatments” رﺳﺎﻟﺔﻓﻲ ﻣﺎھﻴﺔ اﻟﺮﻣد و أﻧواﻋﻪ و أﺳﺑﺎﺑﻪ و ﻋﻼﺟﻪ 7. A'yan Ibn A'yan (D 373 AH/995 CE). “A Book About Eye Diseases and Their Management” ﻛﺘﺎب ﻓﻲ أﻣﺮاض اﻟﻌﻴون و ﻣداواﺗﮫﺎ 8. ‘Alī Ibn ‘Isā of Baghdādī (D 400 AH/1010 CE). ﺗﺬﻛﺮة اﻟﻛﺣﺎﻟﻴن ”Ophthalmologists For Book Memorandum“ 9. 'Ammār Ibn 'Alī Al-Mawṣilī (D400AH/1010CE). اﻟﻣﻧﺘﺧب ﻓﻲ ﻋﻠم اﻟﻌﻴن ”Diseases Eye Selected“ 10. Aḥmad Ibn ‘Abdul-Raḥmān Ibn Mandawayh Al-Aṣfahānī (D 410 AH/1019 CE). رﺳﺎﻟﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺗﺮﻛﻴب طﺑﻘﺎت اﻟﻌﻴن ”Coats Eye of Construction the About Treatise“ رﺳﺎﻟﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻼج اﻧﺘﺷﺎر اﻟﻌﻴن ”Mydriasis of Treatment the about Treatise“ 11. 'Alī Ibn Ibrāhīm Ibn Bakhtyashu' Al-Kafarṭābā (D 460 AH/1063 CE). “A Book About the Anatomy of the Eye, Its Shape and Treatment of Its Diseases” ﻛﺘﺎب ﻓﻲ ﺗﺸﺮح اﻟﻌﯿﻦ وأﺷﻛﺎﻟﮫﺎ و ﻣداواة أﻋﻼﻟﮫﺎ 12. Abū Sa'īd Ibn Manṣūr Ibn Nā'isah (D 460 AH/1067 CE). ﻛﺘﺎب ﻓﻲ أﻣﺮاض اﻟﻌﻴن و ﻣداواﺗﮫﺎ ”Treatment Its and Diseases Eye About Book A“ 13. Abū Al-Faraj ‘Abdullāh Ibn Al-Ṭayeb (D 468 AH/1075 CE). ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻴق ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﻴن ”Eye the About Comments“ 14. Abū Al-Muṭarrif ‘Abdul-Raḥmān Ibn Wāfid Al-Lakhamī (D 468 AH/1075 CE). ﺗدﻗﻴق اﻟﻧظﺮﻓﻲ ﻋﻼج ﺣﺎﺳﺔ اﻟﺑﺻﺮ ”Diseases Eye of Examination Careful About Book A“ Page 3 of 51 15. Zarrin-Dast (D 480 AH/1087 CE). ﻧور اﻟﻌﻴون ”Eyes the of Light The“ 16. Abū Al-Faḍāil Ibn Al-Nāqid (D 577 AH/1181 CE). ﻛﺘﺎب اﻟﻣﺟﺮﺑﺎت ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﻴن ”Eye the in Experienced the About Book A“ 17. Moḥammad Ibn Qassūm Ibn Aslam Al-Ghāfiqī (D 595 AH/1197 CE). اﻟﻣﺮﺷد ﻓﻲ اﻟﻛﺣل ”Ophthalmology in Guide The“ 18. 'Abdullah Ibn Qāsim Al-Ḥarīrī Al-Ishbīlī Al-Baghdādī (D 646 AH/1248 CE). ﻧﮫﺎﻳﺔ اﻷﻓﻛﺎر و ﻧﺰھﺔ اﻷﺑﺻﺎر ”Vision of Pleasure the and Thoughts of End The“ 19. Fatḥ Al-Dīn Ibn āatuallāh Al-Qaysī (D 657 AH/1259 CE). “The Final Thought About the Treatment of Eye Diseases” ﻧﺘﻴﺟﺔ اﻟﻔﻛﺮ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻼج أﻣﺮاض اﻟﺑﺻﺮ 20. Khalīfah Ibn Abī Al-Maḥāsen Al-Ḥalabī (D 664 AH/1265 CE). اﻟﻛﺎﻓﻲ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻛﺣل ”Ophthalmology in Sufficient The“ 21. 'Alī Ibn Abī Al-Ḥazm Al-Qarashī (Ibn Al-Nafīs) (D 687 AH/1288 CE). اﻟﻣﮫذب ﻓﻲ اﻟﻛﺣل اﻟﻣﺟﺮب ”Ophthalmology Tried in Versed Well The“ 22. Ṣalāḥ Al-Dīn Al-Kaḥḥāl Al-Ḥamwī (D 696 AH/1296 CE). ﻧور اﻟﻌﻴون و ﺟﺎﻣﻊ اﻟﻔﻧون ”Arts the of Compilation the and Eyes the of Light The“ 23. Ibn Al-Akfānī, Abū ‘Abdullāh Moḥammad Ibn Ibrāhīm Ibn Ṣa'ed Al-Anṣārī Al-Sinjārī (D 749 AH/1348 CE). ﻛﺷف اﻟﺮﻳن ﻓﻲ أﺣوال اﻟﻌﻴن ”Conditions Eye in Unknown the Uncovering“ 24. Ṣadaqah Ibn Ibrāhīm Al-Masrī Al-Ḥanafī Al-Shathilī (D 751 AH/1350 CE). “The Ophthalmic Support for Diseases of the Visual Organ” اﻟﻌﻤﺪة اﻟﻛﺣﻠﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻷﻣﺮاض اﻟﺑﺻﺮﻳﺔ 25. 'Alā’ Al-Dīn Al-Kaḥḥāl Al-Ṣafadī (D 786 AH/1384 CE). ﻛﺘﺎب اﻟﻘﺎﻧون ﻓﻲ أﻣﺮاض اﻟﻌﻴن ”Ophthalmology in Rules of Book The“ Part Two 1. 'Alī Ibn Sahl Raban Al-Ṭabarī (D 247 AH/861 CE). ﻓﺮدوس اﻟﺣﻛﻣﺔ ”Wisdom of Paradise The“ 2. Al-Rāzī, Abu Bakr Moḥammad (D 235-319 AH/850-932 CE). اﻟﺣﺎوي ﻓﻲ اﻟطب (Āl-Ṭib Fī (Al-Ḥāwī Continens Page 4 of 51 اﻟﻛﻧﺎش اﻟﻛﺑﻴﺮPractica CE). 222AH/935 (D Ṣarabyūn Ibn Yūḥanna .3 4. Abū Al-Ḥasan Aḥmad Ibn Moḥammad Al-Ṭabarī (D 366 AH/976 CE). اﻟﻣﻌﺎﻟﺟﺎت اﻟﺑﻘﺮاطﻴﺔ ”Treatments Hippocratic The“ 5. 'Alī Ibn Al-'Abbās (D 383 AH/994 CE). (ﻛﺎﻣل اﻟﺻﻧﺎﻋﺔ اﻟطﺑﻴﺔ) اﻟﻛﺘﺎب اﻟﻣﻠﻛﻲ ”Book Royal The“ 6. Abū Al-Qāsim Khalaf Ibn 'Abbās Al-Zahrāwī (D 500 AH/1015 CE). اﻟﺘﺻﺮﻳف ﻟﻣن ﻋﺟﺰﻋن اﻟﺘﺄﻟﻴف ((Al-Tasreef Explanation” The“ (D Sīnā Ibn ‘Alī Ibn ‘Abdullāh Ibn Al-Ḥusayn 'Alī Abū اﻟﺷﻴﺦ اﻟﺮﺋﻴس Princeps Sīnā, Ibn .7 346-428 AH/958-1037 CE). اﻟﻘﺎﻧون ﻓﻲ اﻟطب (Al-Ṭib Fi (Al-Qānūn Canon” The“ 8. Ibn Al-Haytham, Abū 'Alī Moḥammad Ibn Al-Ḥasan (350-430AH/961-1039 CE). Al- اﻟﻣﻧﺎظﺮ(”Optics of Book (“The Manazir Medical code of ethics amongst ophthalmologists Introduction Ever since the first human settlement in communities around major rivers such as the Nile, Euphrates, and Tigris, two sciences proved important: the first being morality, ethics and spirituality, the second is the health and wellbeing of the settled communities. It is clear that the first is responsible for the organisation of relations and communities, adopted rules and regulations, in order to solve any disputes that may arise. As for the second science concerning health, it was viewed as vital for keeping individuals strong and fit enough, both physically and mentally, to survive in the wilderness and maintain the existence of the human race. It is believed that the first recognised physician in the history of medicine was Asclepius I Pharaoh Asclepius, Succeeding 2 Greece. ancient in BCE 5500 around lived who ,اﺳﻘﻠﺑﯾوس اﻷول his to due Egyptians the by God a considered was Egypt Ancient from اﻟﻔرﻋون أﻣﻧﺣوﺗب Amun ability to treat a multitude of diseases and cure patients. 3 Famous ancient healers, or ,ﻣﯾﻧﯾس Menes ,ﺣوروس Horus include Amun Pharaoh and Asclepius followed that physicians, ﺟﺎﻟﯾﻧوس Galen and ,اﺑﻘراط Hippocrates اﺳﻘﻠﺑﯾوﺳﺎﻟﺛﺎﻧﻲ II Asclepius ,اﻓﻼطون Plato ,ﺑرﻣﺎﻧﯾدس Bermanedes , to mention a few. 4 2 Samarrai, vol.1, 72. 3 Samarrai, vol.1, 33. 4 Samarrai, vol1, 75,76. Page 5 of 51 The works of Hippocrates and Galen were translated into Arabic during Muslim Civilisation. During the early days of Islam, traditional healers practiced primitive medicine and surgery based upon knowledge inherited from their ancestors or through personal experience. With this knowledge they were able to cure some endemic diseases and treat wounded soldiers in the battlefield. The Umayyad Dynasty followed with a few shy attempts to translate scientific books—mainly chemistry—but these translations were not extensive enough to make any tangible impact on the practice of medicine. Serious translations began at the “House of Wisdom” or Bayt al-Hikmah in Baghdad, where master physicians and translators were employed. Among the 47 mentioned in literature Ibn Ḥunayn famous the ,ﺟورﺟﯾس ﺑن ﺟﺑراﺋﯾل ﺑن ﺑﺧﺗﯾﺷوع 'Bakhtyashu Ibn Jibrāīl Ibn Georgis were nephew his and ,اﺳﺣق ﺑن ﺣﻧﯾن Ḥunayn Ibn Isḥāq son his ,ﺣﻧﯾن ﺑن اﺳﺣق اﻟﻌﺑﺎدي Al-'Abādī Ishāq 5.ﺣﺑﯾش اﻷﻋﺳم Al-A'asam Ḥubaish After a wealth of translated works and knowledge was accumulated a new era began around 400 AH (1010 CE). Numerous scholars excelled in fields such as geography, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, among other major accomplishments in literature and history as a result. Amalgamating knowledge from the books translated from Greek, Persian, Indian, and Syriac allowed for the compilation of several major medical encyclopaedias. The Latin translation of those books remained the main, and perhaps the only, source of teaching material in European Universities till the late part of the 15th or 16th centuries. Among famous translators They .,ﻗﺳطﻧطﯾن اﻻﻓرﯾﻘﻲ Africani Constantini and دﯾﻣﯾﺗرﯾوس Demetrios were Latin into Arabic from by ﻛﺎﻣل اﻟﺻﻧﺎﻋﺔ اﻟطﺑﯾﺔ (اﻟﻛﺗﺎب اﻟﻣﻠﻛﻲ) "Book Royal “The as such encyclopaedias medical translated اﻟﻘﺎﻧون ﻓﻲ Al-Ṭib Fī Al-Qānūn or Medicine” of Canon “The CE), 994 (d.