Biography of Avenzoar

Avenzoar or Ibnu Zuhr was a greatest of the Arabian physicians of the western caliphate in 12th century. His full name was Abu Marwan Ibnu Zuhr. He was born at Seville, in Spain, where his father practiced medicine.

He was a teacher of Averroes.

Avenzoar justly holds a distinguished place among the Saracenic physicians from the extent of his medical observations and from the ingenious and critical modes of practice which they suggested to him.

He was remembered writing widely acclaimed text on tumors, abscess and therapeutics while serving as a court physician to both the Almoravid and Almohad courts.

His elaborate description of itch-mite had given him possibility the first parasitologist after Alexander of Tralles. He gave description of paralysis and inflammation of the middle ear and recommended goats milk in Phthisis.

He had a care of hospital and composed a work entitled Al-Taysir, containing a compendium of medical practice and including many facts and observations not found in preceding writers which were probably the result of his own experience.

The Taysir has been called ‘one of the most important books in the history of medicine’ and one that ‘deeply influenced the development of western medicine though Hebrew and Latin translations.’

Al-Taysir which also covered pharmacy and nutrition was translated into Latin as al-Thesier in 1820 and was studied at the major universities in Europe.

He died in the year 1162.
Biography of Avenzoar

Avenzoar

He was the greatest of the Mohammedan physicians of the western caliphate. Avenzoar was an Arabian physician of the 12th century, born at Seville, in Spain where his father practiced medicine.

His full name Abu Merwan Abdal Malik ibn Zuhr. He died at Morocco in the year 1162.

Under the tuition of his father he became at an early age distinguished in his profession.

His elaborate description of itch-mote had given him possibly the first parasitologist after Alexander of Tralles.

He gave descriptions of paralysis and inflammation of the middle ear and recommended goats milk in phthisis.

He had the courage to go against the then galenism. He differed with him on the causes of paralysis on the curability of amaurosis, and on same other points, thus showing an independent exceedingly rare at the epoch.

He had the care of an hospital and composed a work entitled Al-Theiser, containing a compendium of medical practice and including many facts and observation not found in preceding writers, which were probably the result of his own experience.

The principle work of Avenzoar, Theiser is a complete treatise on the practice of medicine, which displays more originality and sound philosophy than was common among the Arabians. It was studied at the major and newly established universities of Europe.

Avenzoar wrote a book on ‘the Method of preparing Medicines and Diet’ which is much esteemed. This works was translated into Hebrew, in the year 1280 and afterwards into Latin by Paravicius, whose version has had several editions.
Avenzoar