Manuscript translation of 'Albucasis De Chirurgica' into Latin
TitleManuscript translation of 'Albucasis De Chirurgica' into Latin
ReferenceMS0046
Level of descriptionfonds
Date1769
Creator John Channing, fl 1769-1778, apothecary and arabist, Abul-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al- Zahravi, 936-1013, surgeon
Admin./ biographical historyJohn Channing was an Apothecary with premises in Essex Street on the Strand, London and an Arabist, who translated the Al-Zahravi sugical volumes into Latin. They were published in 1778.
(This information is from the Library Special Collections website of the University of Glasgow at http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/june2003.html)
Abul Qasim Al-Zahravi, known in the West as Albucasis, was a well-renowned Surgeon during the Middle Ages. He is best known for several original breakthroughs in surgery, as an inventor of several surgical instruments, and for his famous Medical Encyclopedia. Patients and students from all parts of Europe came to him for treatment and advice. Al-Zahravi is famous for his thirty-volume medical encyclopedia 'Al-Tasrif li man ajaz an-il-talif (the English translation of the title would read 'An aid to him who lacks the capacity to read big books'). Three volumes of this vast encyclopedia deal with the surgical knowledge including his own inventions and procedures. The last volume contains many diagrams and illustrations of more than two hundred surgical instruments, most of which he developed. Al-Zahravi gave detailed description of many surgical operations and their treatment, including cauterization, removal of stone from the bladder, surgery of eye, ear and throat, midwifery, removal of the dead foetus, amputation, dissection of animals, and stypics. He was also an inventor of many surgical instruments, particularly developing instruments for internal examination of the ear, internal inspection of the urethra and for applying or removing foreign bodies from the throat. He introduced such new procedures as cauterization of wounds, crushing stones inside the bladder, the vivisection and dissection. He applied cauterization procedure to as many as 50 different operations. In addition, Al-Zahravi discussed the preparation of medicines and the application of such techniques as sublimation and decantation. He prescribed the use of diuretics, sudorifics, purgatives, the absorption of pure wine and hot baths. Al-Zahravi was the first to give detailed description hemophilia and was the first to use silk thread for stitching wounds.
Gerard of Cremona (1114-1187) translated Al-Tasrif into Latin in the Middle Ages. It was then translated into Hebrew, French, English and into Latin dialect of the Provencal. Al-Zahravi's Al-Tasrif was an essential component of the medical curriculum in European countries for many centuries. The famous French surgeon Guy de Chauliac (1300-1368) appended its Latin edition to his own book on surgery. Several editions of this book (surgical chapters) were published including one at Venice (1497), at Basel (1541) and at Oxford (1778). This book was taught for approximately five centuries as a standard textbook on surgery at universities of Salerno in Italy, Montpellier in France, and several European universities.
(This information has been taken from a biography by Dr A Zahoor published on the University of Hasanuddin (Indonesia) website at http://www.unhas.ac.id/~rhiza/saintis/zahravi.html)
(This information is from the Library Special Collections website of the University of Glasgow at http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/june2003.html)
Abul Qasim Al-Zahravi, known in the West as Albucasis, was a well-renowned Surgeon during the Middle Ages. He is best known for several original breakthroughs in surgery, as an inventor of several surgical instruments, and for his famous Medical Encyclopedia. Patients and students from all parts of Europe came to him for treatment and advice. Al-Zahravi is famous for his thirty-volume medical encyclopedia 'Al-Tasrif li man ajaz an-il-talif (the English translation of the title would read 'An aid to him who lacks the capacity to read big books'). Three volumes of this vast encyclopedia deal with the surgical knowledge including his own inventions and procedures. The last volume contains many diagrams and illustrations of more than two hundred surgical instruments, most of which he developed. Al-Zahravi gave detailed description of many surgical operations and their treatment, including cauterization, removal of stone from the bladder, surgery of eye, ear and throat, midwifery, removal of the dead foetus, amputation, dissection of animals, and stypics. He was also an inventor of many surgical instruments, particularly developing instruments for internal examination of the ear, internal inspection of the urethra and for applying or removing foreign bodies from the throat. He introduced such new procedures as cauterization of wounds, crushing stones inside the bladder, the vivisection and dissection. He applied cauterization procedure to as many as 50 different operations. In addition, Al-Zahravi discussed the preparation of medicines and the application of such techniques as sublimation and decantation. He prescribed the use of diuretics, sudorifics, purgatives, the absorption of pure wine and hot baths. Al-Zahravi was the first to give detailed description hemophilia and was the first to use silk thread for stitching wounds.
Gerard of Cremona (1114-1187) translated Al-Tasrif into Latin in the Middle Ages. It was then translated into Hebrew, French, English and into Latin dialect of the Provencal. Al-Zahravi's Al-Tasrif was an essential component of the medical curriculum in European countries for many centuries. The famous French surgeon Guy de Chauliac (1300-1368) appended its Latin edition to his own book on surgery. Several editions of this book (surgical chapters) were published including one at Venice (1497), at Basel (1541) and at Oxford (1778). This book was taught for approximately five centuries as a standard textbook on surgery at universities of Salerno in Italy, Montpellier in France, and several European universities.
(This information has been taken from a biography by Dr A Zahoor published on the University of Hasanuddin (Indonesia) website at http://www.unhas.ac.id/~rhiza/saintis/zahravi.html)
Scope and ContentThe collection contains a manuscript translation into Latin of the volumes relating to surgery from Al-Zahravi (or Albucasis') De Chirurgia. The volumes contain discussion of various aspects of surgery including general surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology, urology and orthopaedic surgery.
The translation of the De Chirurgica is contained in five bound volumes. The volumes are read from back to front, in the arabic style. The arabic text is on the left hand pages, and the latin translation on the right hand pages.
The translation of the De Chirurgica is contained in five bound volumes. The volumes are read from back to front, in the arabic style. The arabic text is on the left hand pages, and the latin translation on the right hand pages.
Extent5 volumes
LanguageLatin
Conditions governing accessThis collection is available to everyone for research. It can be consulted in our Research Room at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 38-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE. It is essential to book in advance so we can ensure material is available. Please email archives@rcseng.ac.uk to book a Research Room appointment.
Conditions governing reproductionCopies of material in the archives can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents. Some items within this collection may remain within copyright under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988; it is the responsibility of users to obtain the copyright holder's permission for reproduction of copyright material for purposes other than research or private study. Permission to publish material, in print or online, must be sought in advance from the Royal College of Surgeons of England and, where appropriate, the copyright holder. Please email archives@rcseng.ac.uk in the first instance.
Persons keyword Abul-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al- Zahravi, 936-1013, surgeon, John Channing, fl 1769-1778, apothecary and arabist
SubjectTranslations, Manuscripts, Surgery
