Journal - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

Rolando NERI-VELA SOME NOTES ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF ARABIAN MEDICINE IN
NEW SPAIN
translated and commented the first book from the
Arabian author, was successful.
Probably this two works arrived to New Spain, for
the teaching of medicine at the Royal and Pontifical
University, founded in 1553, and its Faculty of
Medicine, that opened his doors in 1582.
Fifty years ago Dr. José Joaquín Izquierdo, a very
distinguished Mexican physician, found in the
National Library of Mexico, which is managed by the
National Autonomous University of Mexico actually, a
copy of Liber canonis de medicines cordialibus et cantica,
from Avicenna, edited by Joan Hervagios in 1556.
The frontispiece is shown in this article, as well as a
page about ocular disorders (figs. 1 and 2). The existence
of this book in Mexico could illustrate about the
“Avicenna” used in the XVI century by New Spain’s
doctors. Another book from Avicenna, Disputatione
medicae, printed by Pedro García Carrero at Alcalá de
Henares in Juan Graciani’s press, in 1611, was founded
by Izquierdo, too., in the same Library.
It is important to point out that the National
Library of Mexico was integrated during the XIX
century, when the properties of Catholic church
changed owner, being the Mexican government the
proprietary of the monasteries so all the monks’
books were then part of the State. But returning to our
theme, the New Spain authors included the teachings
of Arabian masters in their works.
Juan de Cárdenas in his work Primera parte de los
problemas y secretos maravillosos de las Indias
(1591) is sparing in appointments, but he names the
classics, Avicenna, between them.
Agustín Farfán wrote in 1592 Tractado Brebe de
Medicina, and in this work he quoted Galen,
Hippocrates, Rhazes and Avicenna., in an abstract
tone and without interest..
The anatomy was studied on the works of
Avicenna, complemented with the old authority of
Galen, commented by Rhazes. Supported in the
authority of the great philosopher and Arabian-
Spanish scientist, Farfán said in his Tractado that the
bones of the human body are 148, and the muscles
531. In addition, students should studied, during the
third year, the ninth book of Rhazes Almanzorem.
Frontispiece of Liber canonis…, by Avicenna. Avicenna, op. cit, chapter dedicated to ophthalmology.
50 JISHIM 2004, 3