The Kitab al-Ta?rif (Book of medical arrangement) [1] is the masterpiece of the Andalusian remarkable and illustrious physician and first surgeon of the medieval islam [2], besides a famous author, Abu l-Qasim Khalaf Ibn ‘Abbas Al-Zahrawi, known among other names as Abulcasis, Al-Zahrawi and Abulcasis Al-Zahrawi [3].

This encyclopaedic work is collected in thirty-nine manuscripts [4] around the world and it is divided into thirty treatises each of which is preceded by a title summarizing its content. Abulcasis cites in his book other important authors and works, and takes many of the recipes from these sources, so Al-Ta?rif is full of enriching quotes [5].

 The 30th treatise on surgery is the most famous of all, reaching its influence as far as Renaissance Europe [6]. Furthermore, in pharmacology, which this article mainly is about, Abulcasis is   a very representative figure due to his important achievements [7].

The 22nd treatise of Kitab al-Ta?rif´s [8], which was inedit, deals with pneumology, and contains many recipes for beneficial remedies to lung and chest, with reference to preparation way and the diseases that cure [9]. It is, therefore, a very interesting treatise for the field of medieval pharmacology.

Below this article includes the translation from Arabic to English of five of these recipes that are beneficial for tuberculosis treatment, although they are also valid for another lung and chest illness. The translation is done taking as basis the 5774th Arabic manuscript of the National Library at Paris, as well as the 502nd Arabic manuscript of the Suleymaniye Umumi Kutuphanesi at Istanbul.

Recipe for an Electuary for Tuberculosis, Lung Ulcers and Cough [F.121vº-F-122rº]

Recipe for an electuary that is beneficial for tuberculosis, lung ulcers and cough: You take 1.5 ounces of beans; starch, white tragacanth and gum arabic, from each, ½ ounce; 1 ounce of melon seed and 2 ounces of cooked raisins, almonds and violet. Knead everything with nabi?. The dose is 5 dirhems.

Recipe for a Hyssop Stew Written by Ya?ya ibn Masawayh [10] [F.126rº]

Recipe for a hyssop stew written by Ya?ya ibn Masawayh for those who have fever and cough, high fevers, tuberculosis and flank pain: You take 7 grains of figs; hyssop and maidenhair, fromf each, 5 dirhems; peeled licorice root, and fennel root and seed, from each, 10 dirhems; 10 pear kernels; 20 grains of grapes; 30 dirhems of boneless raisins; and 100 grains of sebesten. You cook everything in 5 pounds of fresh water, until 2 pounds remain, and take it warm along with 5 dirhems of candied rose or violet honey. If you want, take 2 pounds of the cooked water from the aforementioned hyssop stew, put it back on the fire and boil it until 1/4 is consumed; then, you add 1 pound of alfenique and 1/2 pound of concentrated must; 1/2 pound of violet syrup and 1/4 pound of tragacanth. It is certainly an excellent electuary for cough and chest. Those who have a fever can also be given to drink 1/3 to 1/2 pound of the following waters, simple or compound: polygala water, celery water, fennel water, blackberry herb water, chicory water, plantago water, borage water, persicaria water, and alquequenje water. Any of these waters are possible and good. Likewise, the patient can take candied pink and violet honey. Certainly, these waters are very beneficial in medical treatment. Likewise, you can drink pumpkin water and roasted cucumber water. Or, take the remaining 2 pounds of the hyssop stew, cook it on the fire along with 1 pound of alfenique, 1/3 pound of sweet almond oil and 1/2 pound of crushed poppy sedes. Let it boil very well and add 1/2 pound of crushed and sifted dry violet, 1/4 pound of white tragacanth and 1/4 pound of resin gum; Then it is set aside in a glass container and used. It is really a beneficial remedy for cough, tuberculosis, and back and side pain due to heat.

Recipe for a Clarion Electuary [F.129vº]

Recipe for an electuary of clarion, which is beneficial for tuberculosis fever, lung ulcers, coughs and intestinal ulcers: You take resin gum and cardamom, from each, 6 dirhems; ginger and wheat starch, from each, 12 dirhems; 4 dirhems of clarion; 2 dirhems of sugar; and cucumber seed and peeled pine kernel seed, from each, 60 dirhems. Everything is crushed, sifted, softly kneaded with butter and honey, set aside and, when needed, the preparation is taken licked with donkey milk or hot water.

Recipe for an Ointment for Cough and Tuberculosis [F.136vº]

Recipe for an ointment that softens the chest and is used in the treatment of dry cough and tuberculosis: You take 10 dirhems of yellow wax; 1-pound yellow wallflower oil; 5 dirhems of storax; and 10 dirhems of duck fat. Everything is mixed and applied on the chest and the area affected by pneumonia. It is certainly proven.

Recipe for a Bandage from the Kitab by Masi? [11] [F.139vº]

Recipe for a bandage from Masi?´s Book, which is beneficial for chest pain, chronic pleurisy, cough and tuberculosis: You take alum, chamomile, flax seed, fenugreek, marshmallow and beans, from each, 1 full handful; and 2 portions of barley flour. Everything is crushed, sifted and cooked with an oil appropriate to the disease: if this tends to cold, wallflower oil or jasmine essence, along with water. A bandage soaked with this remedy will be applied to the chest.

Glossary: Weights & Measures

• 1 Dirhem (dirham)= 3,12 grams
• 1 Grain (?abb) = 0,065 grams
• 1 Ounce (uqiyya)= 37 grams
• 1 Pound (ra?l)= 453,59 grams

Medical Terms

• Bandage (?amad): A ligature that is made with bandages or other pieces of canvas arranged so that they fit the shape of the region of the body where they are applied.
• Candied rose (Julanjabin): It is honey and rose compote.
• Concentrataed must (maybakhtaj): Boiled grape juice until 1/4 of the product remains after evaporation. When, after evaporation, 1/3 remains, it is called muthallath in Arabic.
• Electuary (la‘uq): The electuary is a pharmaceutical preparation of liquid, paste, or solid consistency, made with various ingredients, almost always vegetables, and a certain amount of honey, syrup, or sugar.
• Nabi?: Spirit drink obtained from the light fermentation of dried dates or raisins.
• Ointment (duhn): Medicine that is applied to the exterior, composed of various substances, among which are yellow wax, olive oil and mutton tallow.
• Syrup (sharab): The syrup is a viscous liquid that usually contains concentrated solutions of sugars, such as sucrose, in water or another liquid. Syrups have been used for a long time, and before sugar was discovered, they were prepared with honey. The liquids that usually make up the syrup are distilled water, solutions, juices, and others.

Authors Cited in the Text

Ibn Masawayh

Abu Zakariya Yu?anna (Ya?ya) Ibn Masawayh (c.777-857) is one of the main authors of science from the Middle Ages. His knowledge involves a mixture of Hellenistic elements, Christian ideas and recipes from Orient, the result of which was to unite alchemy, medicine and astrology. He translated many Greek scientific works and belonged to the famous Bayt al-?ikma (House of Wisdom) in Bagdad, which he became the director. Failing to obtain human subjects for dissection, a practice never encouraged by Islam, had recourse to apes. At this time, few advances could be achieved in anatomy, except studying the anatomical structure of the eye. He wrote the oldest systematic treatise on ophthalmology in Arabic, entitled Al- ‘Ashr maqalat fi l- ‘ayn (The ten treatises on the eye). According to the Arabic sources, Ibn Masawayh wrote over forty works, but only ten remain. Latin versions are more numerous.

Masi? (Al-Masi?)

Abu l-?asan ‘Isa Ibn ?akam Al-Dimashqi, known as Masi? and Al-Masi?, who lived around the year 225 AH/840 AD and was a doctor in Damascus. The Book Abulcasis refers to in the recipe is the one entitled Kunnash kabir fi-l-?ibb (Great Compendium of Medicine)

The masterpiece of Abulcasis Al-Zahrawi entitled Kitab al-Ta?rif (Book of medical arrangement) is in a very high-ranking place within surgery, medicine and pharmacology of Al-Andalus; and his author exemplifies the noted level achieved by Arab scientific knowledge in the Middle Ages. Due to his influence in Europe until the late 16th century and the early 17th century, among other reasons, Abulcasis has a very prominent position in the history of universal science; and, in particular, the pages translated and studied in this article attest to his relevance in the history of Islamic science.

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