Personal Experiences of Chief Physician Emir çelebi on Kidney and Bladder Diseases: A Brief Review in Anmudhaj al-Tibb.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to review the kidney and bladder disease sections in Emir çelebi's book called Anmudhaj al-Tibb by presenting and discussing his own experiences with these issues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A copy of Anmudhaj al-Tibb registered in Istanbul Süleymaniye Manuscript Library, Mihrisah Sultan Collection, no. 342/1, and a printed copy of al-Mujaz fi al-Tibb in Arabic, as well as a copy of the Turkish translation of this work by Sururi registered in Ankara National Library, A1437, were examined. We examined the findings in light of the literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We discovered that the sections on kidney and bladder diseases in Emir çelebi's Anmudhaj al-Tibb are actually Turkish translations of relevant sections of Ibn al-Nafis's al-Mujaz fi al-Tibb. In some of these chapters, Emir çelebi has added his own observations and experiences, whereas, in others, he has included quotations from physicians such as Ibn Masawayh and Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya al-Razi. One of the most intriguing findings was the drug Yad-Allah, which Emir çelebi claimed was very effective in reducing the kidney stone of the Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Navy Receb Pasha. According to Emir çelebi, Galen and Aflinus [?] both praised this medicine in their own works. However, it has been discovered that Yad-Allah, as described in the literature, is a drug defined by Philagrius.

Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar) on Head Wounds in Kitab al-Taysir (Liber Teisir).

OBJECTIVE: To present and evaluate the section concerning head wounds in Kitab al-Taysir (Liber Teisir) by Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar). METHODS: In this study, 4 different versions of Avenzoar's work were analyzed. The first 2 versions are in Arabic and titled Kitab al-Taysir fi al-Mudawat wa al-Tadbir; one was edited by Michel Khouri and printed in Damascus in 1983, and the other was edited by Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah al-Rudani and printed in Rabat in 1991. The third and fourth versions are in Latin; one was translated by Paravicius, edited by Hieronymus Surianus, and printed in Venice in 1530, and the other was a manuscript in Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de santé, MS 5119 in Paris and was translated by John of Capua. RESULTS: The titles of the sections are "Wounds due to iron objects" and "Wounds due to stones" in Arabic and "On head injuries from external factors such as blow" and "On head wounds from iron or stone or wood" in Latin. The chapter written by Avenzoar on head wounds is divided into 2 parts. First, he explained the treatment, and subsequently he described his views and related experiences. CONCLUSIONS: The information provided by Avenzoar on head injuries technically reflects the medical and surgical comprehension of his era. In the section that is the focus of this study, he first provided technical information related to head injuries and then offered his opinions on the controversial and problematic issues in treatment such as phlebotomy. This study revealed that Avenzoar approached the subject differently than his predecessors.

A Study on Head Wounds in Kitab al-'Umda fi Sina'a al-Jiraha by Ibn al-Quff.

The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge on head wounds contained in the Kitab al-'Umda fi Sina'a al-Jiraha, written by Ibn al-Quff in the thirteenth century. This study was based on a copy of the Kitab al-'Umda fi Sina'a al-Jiraha, printed in 2 volumes in Da'ira al-Ma'arif al-Uthmaniyya in Hyderabad in 1356/1937-38 and reprinted by the Institute for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University. This printed copy was compared with the manuscript of Istanbul University Rare Works Library, Arabic Manuscripts, A 4749. Relevant chapters were translated from Arabic to English, after which they were thoroughly examined. Obtained knowledge is presented in the Results section and is compared in the Discussion section with other reports of this subject. The first chapter classified head wounds into 6 types: the first 3 types are conservatively treated and the remaining 3 types are surgically treated. This chapter also presents information on how to proceed when there is a head wound-related hemorrhage, which medications should be used, and which are the adequate treatment protocols. The second chapter discusses the symptoms and signs that follow head blow and fall injuries. The characteristics and noteworthy circumstances of skull fractures as well as the surgical treatment methods are included in the fifteenth chapter, which is concluded with surgery-related complications. The present study shows that Ibn al-Quff benefited from his predecessors' knowledge and made some considerable contributions to this subject.

Wounds in the Head from Kitab al-Dhakhira fi 'Ilm al-Tibb by Thabit b. Qurra in the Ninth Century.

OBJECTIVE: Kitab al-Dhakhira fi 'Ilm al-Tibb is one of Thabit b. Qurra's most noteworthy books on medicine in Arabic in the ninth century. This study aims to present and discuss the section subtitled "wounds in the head" in the 24th chapter of Kitab al-Dhakhira considering the information in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is primarily based on a copy of Kitab al-Dhakhira edited by Dr. G. Sobhy and printed in al-Matba'at al-Amiriyya, Cairo in 1928. It is compared with the manuscript, which is in the Sehit Ali Pasa Collection, nr. 2028, in the Süleymaniye Manuscript Library in Istanbul, Turkey. The 24th chapter was first translated into English and then examined. The acquired knowledge from the chapter is discussed in this study by comparing it with that on this subject from the literature regarding the history of medicine. RESULTS: The 24th chapter, entitled "On Wounds and Wounds in the Head and Hemorrhage from Them and from Other Wounds and on Gently Drawing Arrowhead/Spearhead and Thorn," includes a section subtitled "wounds in the head." This section provides information regarding steps to be taken if the head is simply wounded or if there is an accompanying swelling, how to control hemorrhage, which medicines should be used for treatment, and how to bandage wounds in the head, but unfortunately, it specifies no details regarding surgical interventions for such wounds. CONCLUSIONS: Kitab al-Dhakhira presents interesting knowledge regarding wounds in the head, reflecting the medical paradigm of that era.

Did Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar) Postulate Before Vesalius That Liquid Collects in Ventricles in the Hydrocephalus?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to present and evaluate the part of Avenzoar's Liber Teisir that pertains to hydrocephalus. Avenzoar was an Andalusian physician prominent in the history of medicine because of the broadness of his observations and original methods. His most important work is recognized to be the Al-Taysir fi al-Mudawat wa al-Tadbir (On Preventive Regimen and Treatment), and its Latin version, Alteisir scilicet regiminis et medelae, which was in use for centuries in Europe. METHODS: The Arabic (Rabat, Morocco, in 1991) and Latin (Venice, Italy, in 1530) versions of Avenzoar's work were perused, relevant sections were separately translated into English, and both translations were then compared. An English version was prepared and is given in our results. RESULTS: The location of liquid collection was described as the anterior ventricles of the brain and around the brain. CONCLUSIONS: Avenzoar might have noted one of the earliest records on the clinical state called idiopathic adult hydrocephalus and postulated liquid collection in the ventricles of the brain in hydrocephalus before Vesalius.

An Early Description of Using Oral Route for the Management of Cervical Vertebra Fracture by Ibn al-Quff in the Thirteenth Century.

OBJECTIVE: This study presents information regarding the treatment of fractures and dislocations of the vertebrae, including the use of the oral route for upper cervical fractures, presented in certain chapters of the book titled Kitab al-'Umda fi Sina'a al-Jiraha (Ibn al-Quff, thirteenth century ad). METHODS: A printed copy of the second volume of the book was studied. Chapters 22 ("On treatment of vertebral fractures") and 33 ("On treatment of vertebral dislocation") of the seventeenth treatise of this book were translated from Arabic into English. Each section is presented (in full text) in the Results section of this article. The findings were compared with the relevant literature and discussed to determine whether Ibn al-Quff presented novel information compared with that presented by his predecessors. RESULTS: The writings of Ibn al-Quff regarding vertebral dislocations seem to summarize information derived from his predecessors. Moreover, he modified certain approaches, previously described for vertebral dislocations, and used them for correcting vertebral fractures. Ibn al-Quff introduced the most novel use of a bridlelike instrument for anterior cervical fracture through the oral route. By introducing the device in the mouth, he described a pushing maneuver to the cervical vertebrae from the ventral site and a simultaneous pulling maneuver by cupping on the neck from the dorsal site. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the oral route introduced by Ibn al-Quff may be one of the earliest examples of novel, practical, and advanced treatment for cervical vertebral fracture.

One of the Earliest Accounts of Head Wounds in Firdaws al-Hikma by al-Tabari from the 9th Century.

OBJECTIVE: To present the first Arabic text on suturing scalp wounds. METHODS: A related section entitled "On the wounds in the head" from the book Firdaws al-Hikma (Paradise of the Wisdom) written by al-Tabari in the 9th century was identified and analyzed. This work was one of the earliest medical compendiums in the Islamic world during the medieval period. A printed copy of Firdaws al-Hikma edited by Muhammad Zubayr al-Siddiqi was examined, and findings were compared with relevant knowledge in the literature. RESULTS: A notable part of this text is based on appropriate closure of scalp wounds using sutures. Before this work, only the well-known Indian medical book Susruta-Samhita had mentioned closure of scalp wounds using sutures. In his work, al-Tabari recommended using materials made of silk or linen for suturing. He additionally proposed some recipes that have a coating feature that prevents bleeding from the wound after it was closed properly. He also dealt with persistent swelling and provided formulas for solving the problem with special compositions. CONCLUSIONS: Firdaws al-Hikma is a noteworthy work in the history of medicine, and it includes a unique chapter on head wounds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first mention of suturing scalp cuts in Arabic literature and the second reference in medical literature after the Indian work Susruta-Samhita.

Medieval times' influencing figure Rhaze's approach to head injuries in Liber Almansoris.

OBJECTIVE: To present the chapter "On wound of the head and fracture of the head bone" of Kitab al-Mansuri / Liber Almansoris, which was one of the early works of Rhazes. METHODS: Both Arabic (Süleymaniye Manuscript Library, Ayasofya collection, Nr. 3751 and Millet Library, Feyzullah Efendi collection, Nr. 1327) and the Latin (Basileae, 1544) texts of Kitab al-Mansuri / Liber Almansoris were studied, and the 26th section of the 7th chapter, entitled "Fi al-shajja kasr al-'azm al-ra's / De plagis capitis et fractura cranei / On wound of the head and fracture of the head bone" was translated into English and English text created. RESULTS: Rhazes underlined removing bone fragments in depressed and separated fractures of cranium along with protection of the dura, but he did not describe any surgical technique in this chapter. CONCLUSIONS: Galen's contemplation for the care of the dura with its integrity and as well his proposal to remove the bone fragments for preventing the dura from injury were the golden standards at the time that Rhazes also followed in the treatment of skull fractures.

What does Al-Qanun Fi Al-Tibb (the Canon of Medicine) say on head injuries?

A historical approach could help in the detection of some viewpoints that cannot be paid attention to or signified by a purely medical one. In this text, the important points of Ibn Sina's (Avicenna) treatise on head injuries have been introduced in light of neurosurgery. The most detailed chapter regarding head injuries in Canon, under the title of "Fracture of the Skull," presents rather detailed knowledge concerning skull fractures and their surgical treatments in the eleventh century and the medical paradigm of that era. Ibn Sina provided extremely systematic knowledge on head traumas along with both his observations and experiences and citations from the writings of the ancient physicians, Galen and Paul of Aegina. Regarding the treatment of skull fractures, Ibn Sina is a real successor of Galen and Paul of Aegina.

Peripheral nerve disorders and treatment strategies according to Avicenna in his medical treatise, Canon of medicine.

The written transmission of knowledge has played a great part in the advancement of medicine, and historical documents hold the key to a full exploration of the history of medicine. Some fields, including disciplines that deal with peripheral nerve disorders, have received little benefit from such valuable material. In particular, peripheral nerve surgery lacks perspectives from historical data. For many years, physicians have obtained positive results in the surgical treatment of peripheral nerve diseases. Relevant documents reveal that the first author who described the surgical repair of damaged peripheral nerves was Avicenna, a leading figure of the medieval era who lived in the Middle East. In his primary medical work, the Canon, he provides a description, albeit sketchy, of a suture procedure for peripheral nerve transection. This treatise influenced physicians for several centuries. In this presentation, we analyze excerpts from the Canon that concern peripheral nerve disorders and strategies for their management.

History of peripheral nerve repair: may the procedure have been practiced in Hippocratic School?

BACKGROUND: The literature regarding the history of the peripheral nerve repair is fairly scant. In the past, few physicians dealt with the topic and made prominent contributions. These works certainly eased the way to the modern concept of surgery of peripheral nerves. During the period between 7th and 17th centuries, Paulus Aeginatus, Avicenna, Roger of Salerno, Guglielmo da Saliceto, Guido Lanfranchi, and Gabriele Ferrara, who are universally accepted as the pioneers in this field, introduced the notion of nerve repair. The central predecessor of all these authors and as well as the founder of modern medicine, Hippocrates, also had reliable interest on peripheral nerve injuries; nevertheless, his written works do not include any section concerning peripheral nerve repair. An exciting document from Ottoman era challenges this issue by citing Hippocrates' nerve repair description. In this report, we present this account with a brief history of nerve repair. METHODS: The relevant section of an early 16th century Ottoman surgical treatise was examined in detail. RESULTS: The chapter regarding the treatments of acute wounds includes an anecdotal case report of nerve repair which is attributed to Hippocrates. CONCLUSIONS: Although attainable works of Hippocrates do not contain nerve repair procedures this Ottoman era medical book suggest that Hippocrates or his pupils may have practiced surgical treatment of nerve injury.

Hydrocephalus and its management in Avicenna's Canon of Medicine.

Hydrocephalus and macrocrania in children have been regarded as amazing disorders throughout the history of medicine. Although the main underlying causes and pathophysiology of hydrocephalus were not understood until the middle of the 18th century, early physicians had made important contributions to this field with their careful observations, management protocols, and anatomical studies. Among these pioneering physicians was Avicenna, widely accepted as an influential and leading scientific figure of the medieval ages. Avicenna was interested in the study of hydrocephalus, and in his principal medical book, the Canon of Medicine, he devoted a large section to this topic. In this paper, a short excerpt concerning hydrocephalus is presented from Avicenna's Canon.

A pioneer from the Islamic Golden Age: Haly Abbas and spinal traumas in his principal work, The Royal Book.

Spinal diseases have attracted medical scientists throughout the history of medicine, probably because they are relatively easy to diagnose and fairly simple to treat. Physicians who made great progress in medicine during the glorious Islamic civilizations also enthusiastically dealt with spine-related problems. More than a thousand years ago Persia was a cradle of medical learning, and Islamic medicine and other sciences spread westward from that center. A leading figure during this period was Haly Abbas, who created an excellent and compact medical encyclopedia, The Royal Book. Sadly, this book has rarely been cited in the literature. The subject of the present vignette is Abbas' work regarding spinal trauma.

[Cranial surgery in XVIIth century Vienna: a case from Evliya Celebi's Book of Travel]. / XVII. Yüzyil viyana'sinda kafatasi cerrahisi: Evliya Celebi seyahatnamesi'nden bir olgu.

Book of Travel (Seyâhatnâme) of Evliya Celebi has always been an invaluable resource for history and ethnography researchers. And it is found out via our paper about "neurosurgical operation" that the above mentioned work can be studied for researches concerning the history of medicine. It is seen that Evliya Celebi reports a neurosurgical operation for curing a gunshot wound, and that he is very well aware of medical paradigm of his era. And he reports the situation without departing from the work and the dominant literary language of the work and without passing over the technical details, and he also does not get lost in the details. He also reports all the general stages of the operation by giving all the techniques and methods of his era. This work can also be considered as an evidence for the origins of western medicine and surgery in the east. Because it is observed that eastern scientists such as Ibn Sina and Zehravi have been referenced for the situation the surgeon took care of, the methods the surgeon used and the stages during the operation.