A TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT MUSLIM SCIENTISTS 6


   AL-ZAHRAVI

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Abul Qasim Khalaf ibn al-abbas al-Zahrvi (Known in the west as Abulcasis) was born in 936 A.D. in Zahra in the neighborhood of cordova. he became one of the most renowned surgeons of the Muslim era and was physician to king al-Hakam-II of Spain. After a long medical career, rich with significant original contribution, he died in 1013 A. D. 
He is best known for his early and original breakthroughs in surgery as well as for his famous medical Encyclopedia called Al-Tasrif, which is composed of thirty volumes covering different aspects of medical science. the more important part of this series comprises three books on surgery, which describe in detail various aspects of surgical treatment as based on the operations performed by him, including cauterization, removal of stone from the bladder, dissection of animal, midwifery, styptics, and surgery of eye, ear and throat. He perfected several delicate operatios. including remove of the dared foetus and amputation. 


Al-Tasrif was first translated by Gherardo of Cremation into Latin in the Middle Ages. it was followed by several other editors in Europe. the book contains numerous diagrams and illustrations of surgical instruments, in use or developed by him, and comprised a part of the medical curriculum in European countries for many centuries. Contrary to the view that the Muslim fought shy of surgery Al-Zahravi's Al-Tasrif provided a monumental collection of this branch of applied science. 


Al-Zahravi was the inventor of several surgical instruments, of which three are noble. (i) an instrument for internal examination of the ear, (ii) an instrument for internal inspection of the urethra. and (iii) and instrument for applying or removing foreign bodies from the throat. He specialized in curing disease by cauterization and applied the technique to as many as 50 different operations. 


In his book Al-Tasrif, Al-Zahravi has also discussed the preparatory of various medicines, in addition to a comprehensive account of surgical treatment in specialized branches, whose modern counterparts are E.N.T . ophthalmology, etc, in connection with the preparation of medicines, he has also described in detail the application of such techniques as sublimation and recantation. Al-Zahravi was also an expert in dentistry and his book contains sketches of various instruments used Theron, in additional to a description of various important dental operations. He discussed the problem of Non-aligned or deformed teeth and how to rectify theses defects, He developed the technique of preparing artificial teeth and of replacement of defective teeth by these. in medicine, he was the first to describe in detail the unusual disease, hemophilia. 


There can be no doubt the Al-Zahravi influenced the field of medicine and surgery very deeply and the principles laid down by him were recognized as authentic in medical science, especially surgery and those continued to influence the medical world for five centuries According to Dr. Campbell (History ar Arab medicine), his principles of medical science surpassed those of Galen in the European medical curriculum,. 


(Created By Dr. Jamal-ud-din khan MBBS)