Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 62

RHAZES [ABU BAKR MUHAMMAD IBN ZAKARIYA, AL-RAZI] (865-925) A treatise on the small-pox and measles. Printed for the Sydenham Society 1847 vii, 212 pp. 21.8 cm.

For more information on this author or work, see number: 59

Rhazes' work on smallpox and measles is here translated by William Alexander Greenhill (1814-1894). Greenhill practiced medicine for many years in Hastings and was well known for his classical scholarship and high quality translations. He employed an Arabic manuscript of Rhazes' Jadau wa-al-hasbah from the "public library at Leyden" (p. v) for this translation. He also made frequent use of the 1548 Greek version, Joannes Channing's Latin translation of 1766, and Thomas Stack's English translation of 1748. The clinical symptoms of the two diseases, the progress either to remission or death, residual deformities, and treatment are all effectively discussed in a surprisingly modern manner. A caring and compassionate clinician, Rhazes includes directions for medications that will remove the smallpox scars from the eyes and body. Also included with the treatise on smallpox are Greenhill's translations of portions of Rhazes' Almansor and Liber continens. From an Arabic manuscript at the Bodleian Library, Greenhill has translated chapter 18 from book 10 of the Almansor which deals with smallpox and measles. Again using Bodleian manuscripts he translated similar sections from chapter 18, books 4 and 8 of the Liber continens. Greenhill has also included an extensive section of notes and illustrations which includes an Arabic and English drug index.

Cited references: Cushing R133 (1848 ed.); Garrison-Morton 5441 (1848 ed.); Osler 458; Waller 7921 (1848 ed.)