Last update:
10-Sep-2020

OBJECTIVE Kitāb al-Ḥāwī fī al-Ṭibb/Liber Continens of Rhazes is a significant work because it presents valuable quotations from the works of Greek, Indian and Arabic authors. These quotations also render Rhazes' work important for the history of medicine because it provides us with information about writings that have not survived. Philagrius of Epirus, who practiced medicine in Thessaloniki during the third or fourth century, is one of the most prominent and important writers included in Rhazes' work. The purpose of this study is to present quotations from Philagrius from Continens on kidney diseases and introduce and register them to the culture, literature and history of medicine in the English language.

METHOD The Arabic and Latin editions of the 10th book of Continens were used in this study. Twelve quotations related to urogenital diseases from Philagrius were identified in both in Arabic and Latin texts. Consequently, these fragments are compared to each other, translated into English, and discussed in the light of literature on the history of medicine.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS These quotations relate to kidney pains, kidney stones, diabetes, and genital diseases. Philagrius' writings had also been adopted in the Islamic world through their translations into Arabic. Considering that Philagrius' works have not survived today, it is important that quotations from his works are found in Rhazes' Continens; as some of these relate to nephrology.

Key words: Liber Continens, Medical practice in Medieval, Thessaloniki, Philagrius of Epirus, Rhazes, Urinary system diseases.