`Alî at-Tabarî's ``Paradise of Wisdom'', one of the oldest Arabic Compendiums of Medicine

Meyerhof, Max

doi:10.1086/346582

Cited by 46 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…79 – 83 For instance, we have identified the idea of the central lens in the writings from AD 850 of the contemporary scholar, Ali ibn Sahl Rabban Tabari (AD 807–870). 79 , 80 Some of these Arabic writings had broad influence because they were subsequently translated into Latin. 81 – 83 For instance, Ali ibn Isa el-Kahhal (c. AD 940–1010), known later as Jesu Hali, wrote: “The crystalline body … is placed in the middle of the eye, marking the central point of the globe …” 81 Likewise, Abu Ali al-Husain Ibn Sina (c. AD 980–1037), known later as Avicenna, 82 wrote: “The crystalline humor is colorless, clear, and reflects the light … Its position is in the center of the eye ….” 83…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A medieval fallacy: the crystalline lens in the center of the eye

Leffler¹,

Hadi²,

Udupa³

et al. 2016

OPTH

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ObjectiveTo determine whether, as most modern historians have written, ancient Greco-Roman authors believed the crystalline lens is positioned in the center of the eye.BackgroundHistorians have written that statements about cataract couching by Celsus, or perhaps Galen of Pergamon, suggested a centrally located lens. Celsus specifically wrote that a couching needle placed intermediate between the corneal limbus and the lateral canthus enters an empty space, presumed to represent the posterior chamber.MethodsAncient ophthalmic literature was analyzed to understand where these authors believed the crystalline lens was positioned. In order to estimate where Celsus proposed entering the eye during couching, we prospectively measured the distance from the temporal corneal limbus to the lateral canthus in 30 healthy adults.ResultsRufus of Ephesus and Galen wrote that the lens is anterior enough to contact the iris. Galen wrote that the lens equator joins other ocular structures at the corneoscleral junction. In 30 subjects, half the distance from the temporal corneal limbus to the lateral canthus was a mean of 4.5 mm (range: 3.3–5.3 mm). Descriptions of couching by Celsus and others are consistent with pars plana entry of the couching needle. Anterior angulation of the needle would permit contact of the needle with the lens.ConclusionAncient descriptions of anatomy and couching do not establish the microanatomic relationships of the ciliary region with any modern degree of accuracy. Nonetheless, ancient authors, such as Galen and Rufus, clearly understood that the lens is located anteriorly. There is little reason to believe that Celsus or other ancient authors held a variant understanding of the anatomy of a healthy eye. The notion of the central location of the lens seems to have arisen with Arabic authors in 9th century Mesopotamia, and lasted for over 7 centuries.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A medieval fallacy: the crystalline lens in the center of the eye

Leffler¹,

Hadi²,

Udupa³

et al. 2016

OPTH

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“…22,23 In the 8th century, in a book titled Haroon's Treatise on Medicine or Aaron's book, saffron has been also mentioned 21 times for treatment of various diseases, including stomachache, as well as to enhancing liver problems and sexual potency. [24][25][26] In Ferdows al-Hikmah fi al-Tib (Paradise of Wisdom), the first comprehensive medical book of islam written in the 9th CE by Ali ibn Sahl Raban al-Tabari (838-c.870 CE) the author of medical resources three medical schools of ancient Greece, India, and Iran have been combined 27,28 ,saffron has been mentioned 109 times, alone or in combination with other herbs, for the treatment of several diseases, including brain diseases (headaches and forgetfulness), eye diseases, mouth, teeth, liver, lungs (coughs), kidneys, diarrhea, gout, etc. 27,29,30 Also, for many centuries, in other traditional Iranian medicine manuscripts, the efficacy of saffron in skin diseases, eyes problems, headaches, melancholia, wounds healing, diarrhea, liver and spleen diseases, and depression has been reported.…”

Section: Saffron In Ancient Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

“…[24][25][26] In Ferdows al-Hikmah fi al-Tib (Paradise of Wisdom), the first comprehensive medical book of islam written in the 9th CE by Ali ibn Sahl Raban al-Tabari (838-c.870 CE) the author of medical resources three medical schools of ancient Greece, India, and Iran have been combined 27,28 ,saffron has been mentioned 109 times, alone or in combination with other herbs, for the treatment of several diseases, including brain diseases (headaches and forgetfulness), eye diseases, mouth, teeth, liver, lungs (coughs), kidneys, diarrhea, gout, etc. 27,29,30 Also, for many centuries, in other traditional Iranian medicine manuscripts, the efficacy of saffron in skin diseases, eyes problems, headaches, melancholia, wounds healing, diarrhea, liver and spleen diseases, and depression has been reported. 19,31,32 An example of manuscript of traditional medicine reference books describing the therapeutic uses of saffron is shown in Figure 1 to 3.…”

Section: Saffron In Ancient Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

Use of saffron against dementia in Traditional Persian Medicine: A historical perspective

Marzabadi¹

2021

Erciyes Med J

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“…The Paradise of Wisdom (Firdaws al-Hikma), composed by the 9 th century Persian physician `Alī ibn Sahl (Rabban) al-Ṭabarī, cited both Suśruta and Vāgbhaṭa (1). The Paradise of Wisdom mentioned cataract (mâ'), but not its surgical cure (27).…”

Section: Evidence Of Couching In Ancient Indiamentioning

confidence: 99%

The history of cataract surgery: from couching to phacoemulsification

et al. 2020

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Where and when cataract surgery started have been a mystery. Indian tradition and the Persian author Zarrin-Dast attributed the procedure to the Indians, while pseudo-Galen suggested an Egyptian origin. Certain idiosyncratic practices are common to early Greek and Sanskrit descriptions of cataract couching, e.g., the requirement for maturity of the cataract, the preference for patients of intermediate ages, comparison of some eyes to glass, rubbing the eye, having a wide portion of the couching instrument shaft, pars-plana puncture with avoidance of the vein, and immediate vision testing. In ancient Greece and India, the words describing the color of a healthy blue eye (glaukos and nīla, respectively) could also characterize a poorly-seeing eye not curable by surgery. In both regions, the lens (or pupillary region) was compared to a lentil, and colored entoptic phenomena were noted. The sitting posture of the patient, ocular convergence towards the nose, the more systematized integration of the humoral theory with cataract surgery, and possibly blowing on the eye and putting cotton on the eye are all consistent with an Indian origin for the procedure. On the other hand, the emphasis on surgical ambidexterity could suggest an origin close to the Mediterranean. Thus, the question of where cataract surgery started has not been resolved. Various authors have suggested that multiple types of cataract surgery were practiced in the ancient and medieval periods: (I) couching, (II) discission (division), (III) aspiration through a tube, (IV) extraction through a limbal incision, and (V) expulsion of lens remnants around an embedded probe. We review the evidence in favor (and against) each of these types of surgery.

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`Alî at-Tabarî's ``Paradise of Wisdom'', one of the oldest Arabic Compendiums of Medicine

Cited by 46 publications

References 0 publications

A medieval fallacy: the crystalline lens in the center of the eye

A medieval fallacy: the crystalline lens in the center of the eye

Use of saffron against dementia in Traditional Persian Medicine: A historical perspective

The history of cataract surgery: from couching to phacoemulsification

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