Iran Press/ Iran News: Al-Razi, known as “Rhazes” in the West, was a physician, philosopher, and scholar who made fundamental contributions to many scientific fields, especially medicine, pioneering in the fields of pediatrics, obstetrics, and ophthalmology.
Old painting depicting Razi at laboratory
Razi Biography
Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya Al Razi (865- 935 AD) was born in Rayy, a town on the southern slopes of Alburz mountains near present-day Tehran, Iran.
In his early education and experience, he showed interest and ability in a wide range of fields, studying and becoming accomplished in music, alchemy (and chemistry), philosophy, mathematics, and physics.
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But it was to the field of medicine that he chose to devote his greatest efforts, spending his life not only as a practicing physician, but also compiling accounts of medical treatments from a number of sources, testing them himself, adding his own innovations and improvements, and writing treatises and encyclopedias containing his results.
Razi visiting a patient
Razi's scientific achievements
Razi isolated many chemical substances, produced many medications, and described many laboratory apparatuses. He developed several chemical instruments that remain in use to this day. He is known to have perfect methods of distillation and extraction.
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Razi's achievements are of exceptional importance in the history of chemistry, since in his books one can find for the first time a systemic classification of carefully observed and verified facts regarding chemical substances, reactions and apparatus, described in a language almost entirely free from mysticism and ambiguity.
Old manuscript recording Razi's medical knowledge
He compiled his thorough research in alchemy, pharmacy, and chemistry in 2 comprehensive books named: al-asrar (The Secrets) and Sir al-asrar (The Secret of Secrets). As an expert surgeon, Razi was the first to use alcohol as an antiseptic and opium as anesthesia. He was the first physician to find stones in the bladder.
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Razi was interested in pharmacology and the preparation of medicines; he introduced the use of mercurial ointments and developed tools and instruments such as mortars, flasks, spatulas, and phials, which were used in pharmacies until the early 20th century.
Razi's legacy
Razi wrote on many different subjects. His general medical textbook, Kitab al-Mansuri fi al-tibb (The Book of Medicine for Mansur) was written for the Samanid ruler of Ray, Abu Salih al-Mansur. His voluminous working files of readings and personal observations were assembled posthumously by his students and circulated under the name Kitab al-Hawi fi al-tibb (The Comprehensive Book on Medicine).
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Edward Granville Browne (a British Orientalist whose publications are related to Persia) considers Razi as "probably the greatest and most original of all physicians and one of the most prolific as an author."
He contributed in many ways to the early practice of pharmacy by compiling texts in which he introduces the use of "mercurial ointments" and his development of apparatus such as mortars, flasks, spatulas, and vials which were used in pharmacies until the early 20 century. He is well known as the discoverer of ethanol (and its refinement and use in medicine) and vitriol (sulfuric acid).
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