15th Century Turkish Medical Studies in the Ottoman Empire: A General Evaluation of Doctors and Their Works

In Islam, the statements of the Prophet Muhammad regarding diseases motivated Muslim doctors to work in the field of medicine. As early as the time of Hz. Omar (r.a) (591-644), the first hospitals were built, and the hospital models found in Jundishapur, one of the important scientific cities of Iran, were influential in the construction of these hospitals. The medical madrasahs and hospitals played critical role for the development of medicine from the Seljuk era to the Ottoman Empire. During the reign of Melikşah (1072-1092), the Seljuk army established a mobile hospital that could be transported by camels. They also established of medical madrasahs, where medical education and patient treatment were carried out together. The institutions like the Amasya Darüşşifası functioned as centers of learning, where medical training followed the master-apprentice system. This structured form of education laid the foundation for systematic medical learning and ensured that traditional medical knowledge was preserved and expanded upon.

During the Ottoman Era, especially 15th century the intellectual and practical advancements in medicine, shaped by the key figures who put forth remarkable books. At a time when Arabic and Persian were dominant in academic writing, many Ottoman physicians deliberately chose to write their medical works in Turkish. This decision played a key role in making medical knowledge more accessible to a wider audience, including less formally educated practitioners. The medical knowledge in the Ottoman period was deeply influenced by earlier Islamic and Persian traditions while also undergoing significant localization and adaptation through Turkish scholars. The prominent Ottoman physicians such as İshak bin Murâd (late 14th century), Konyalı Hacı Pasha (1334-1424), Ahmedî (1334-1413), and Sinoplu Mü’min bin Mukbil (15th century) who played a crucial role in advancing medical education, research, and practice.

Treatment of Hydrocephalus (Cerrâhiyyetü’l Hâniyye)

They explained varied topices on their books such as consuming rules for food and for being healthy, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the anatomy of the skull and the most common diseases, eye diseases in general, eyelid and conjunctiva diseases, cornea diseases, and treatment methods, ear diseases and their treatments, infectious diseases such as leprosy and plague and their treatments, preventive medicine, bloodletting, and cupping.

Another important name who came to the fore with his works in the field of medicine in the 15th century was Physician Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu, a pioneering surgeon whose work Cerrâhiyyetü’l Hâniyye remains a cornerstone in Turkish medical history. He also wrote books about pharmacy. In one of his pharmacy books, he translated the work “Zahîre-i Khwarazmşâhi” written in Persian by Zeyneddin Ebu İbrahim İsmâil b. Ahmed b. Muhammedü’l Hüseynü’l Cürcânî (…-1136) and added his recipes to the work and produced a work consisting of thirty-three chapters in total. The second book on pharmacy, Mücerreb-nâme means ‘Book of Tested Medicines’. The most important reason why Mücerreb-nâme has an important place in the literature of medical history is that the author conveys his experiences regarding the use of the drugs given in the work.

In Cerrâhiyyetü’l Hâniyye, Sabuncuoğlu not only compiled and translated medical knowledge from Arabic and Persian sources but also introduced illustrated surgical techniques, making his work one of the earliest medical manuscripts featuring surgical miniatures. His approach provided an innovative and visual method for medical education, ensuring that practitioners could better understand complex procedures.

Cauterization of a Wart (Cerrâhiyyetü’l Hâniyye)

The historians, medical professionals, and anyone interested in the history of science and medicine can reach broader information about physicians and their Works we already mentioned above , can read the article “15th Century Turkish Medical Studies in the Ottoman Empire: A General Evaluation of Doctors and Their Works” that is originally published in Turkish in Türk Yurdu Dergisi. This article offers a thorough and insightful exploration of 15th-century Turkish medical studies, shedding light on the legacy of Ottoman physicians who played a pivotal role in shaping medical knowledge. 

Reference

Yaşar, Gülhan, Osmanlı’da 15. Yüzyıl Türkçe Tıp Çalışmaları: Hekimler ve Eserleri Üzerine Genel Bir Değerlendirme, Türk Yurdu Dergisi, 113 (448), 2024, 49-52.

Link: https://www.turkyurdu.com.tr/urunler/545/turk-yurdu-aralik-2024