Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

A Study of an Arabic Manuscript ‘Ain-Al-Hayat’ Written on Geriatrics
by Mohammad Ibn Yousuf Harvi and its Translation into English
Ashfaque AHMAD
The author talked about his own experience in many
places in the book and contradicted various prevalent notions,
for example it is reported that Emerald can not to
be tolerated by snake’s eyes so the author himself experimented
it by observation and then disagreed with.
There are many valuable drugs mentioned in this book
which are generally missing in other treatises of Unani
Medicine, a look to some illustrations:
• Rare drugs are available in Unani system for shrinkage
and atrophy of kidney but the author has written about
the meat of young pigeon that it cures the atrophy of
kidney.
• Residing among the pigeons and smelling their breath
and odor help treating syncope, numbness, paralysis
and smallpox.
• Fattening drugs should be used during moon light. Galen
quoted that Ilmul Aghzia is most useful medical science
and occasionally eating and drinking cause deterioration
as fatal poisons. Plato mentioned that human cold live
longer provided no pollution of smoke and vapor etc.
Other important thing about author that he did not
contented to use only the prevalent terms like tonic to Hararat
Ghareezi, Mufarreh and Muqawwi Badan etc but he
went ahead for the terms of drug actions used in recent
times like protection of senses and youth, lengthening of
life periods, decelerating of ageing pace etc.
All I can say that in 21 st century of modern science and
technology the drugs, foods, environment and regimen
amply illustrated in this book affecting Hararat Ghareezi
and eventual increase in life span can be studied at a miniature
level or nano scale which is called Nanotechnology.
In the recent years nanotechnology has revolutionized
scientific research across the globe in a big way. A nanometer
is equal to one billionth of a meter. Nanotechnology
facilitates research on particles less than one billionth of a
meter in diameter, and thus paves way to some amazing
inventions and discoveries. The biological properties of atoms
and molecules are found to greatly differ on a nano
scale such as at 100 nanometers or below compared to what
they are in bulk matter.
Exploiting this feature of matter, nanotechnology
manipulates single atoms of foods, drugs or plants etc to
discover new properties and then uses these to create im-
proved materials, devices and systems. Research in nanotechnology
extends over an array of fields such as health,
environment, agriculture, food and beverages, genetics,
biotechnology and other sciences. (The Hindu Newspaper
Opportunities, 30-11-2011.)
We must admit that the physicians of yore in Unani
Medicine had natural inclination towards research had the
attributes of a scientist of the time such as exceptional analytical
skills accompanied by perseverance and tenacity to
over come odds and propensity to work hard.
I hope the researchers in the subject of geriatrics will
get benefits from the drugs and foods revealed in this
book and new compounds will come into light by working
on the exploration and research of Unani drugs cited here
which will contribute for innovation of new anti oxidant
drugs that will help retard the pace of ageing. We should
try to be more productive, focused, intuitive, analytical
and creative.
Acknowledgement:
I am grateful to the Director General, CCRAS, New
Delhi and Director, National Institute of Indian Medical
Heritage (CCRAS), Hyderabad for creating good working
environment in the institute where our latent capacities
through innovation and excellence could flower, and also
for providing the facilities for printing the original Arabic
text of the Mss along with English translation the first
time ever.
Thanks are also due to the Director of A. P. Government
Oriental Manuscript Library and Research Institute,
Hyderabad and research officer there who has given me access
to the manuscript of Ain Al Hayat. In the last but not
the least many thanks to our erudite inspirational figure
Prof. Syed Zillur Rahman who always kept motivating me,
his Urdu translation of Ain Al Hayat helped me a lot in this
work.
References
1. Manuscript of Ain-Al-Hayat available at A. P. Government Oriental
Manuscript Library and Research Institute, Hyderabad, India with
Accession No. 8882 and serial no 226
2. Book of Ain-Al-Hayat, 2009, printed by Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval
Medicine and Sciences (IAMMS), Aligarh, U.P., India
ISHIM 2011-2012
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