Arabic and Latin Anatomical Terminology Chiefly from the Middle Ages by A. FonahnReview by: George SartonIsis, Vol. 5, No. 1 (1923), pp. 170-172Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/223617 .

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isis. v. 1923 isis. v. 1923

1492. My only criticism is that the many medieval maps illustrating the text should have been reproduced on a larger scale or printed on smoother paper; as they are, it is very difficult to read them, even by means of a magnifying glass. G. S.

A. Fonahn. - a Arabic and Latin anatomical terminology chiefly from the Middle Ages ) (Videnskapsselskapets Skrifter, II, Hist. phil. kl., 1921, 7), 174 p. Kristiania, JACOB DYBWAD, 1922.

American scholars have been discussing for some time the expediency of preparing a new edition of Du CANGE'S Latin dictionary. It would perhaps not be necessary to reprint the whole of it; it might suffice to publish a few supplementary volumes The task of com- piling them, however, would be considerable. I have in mind the many scientific texts that have been published in the last century, - some of them very elaborately with good glossaries. others in a more perfunctory manner, - and mark, the number of unpublished texts, some of them very important, is considerably greater. It is clear that a careful analysis of all these published and of some at least of the unpublished texts would tax the energy of a great number of scholars for many years. One might even ask one's self whether the study of the scientific texts of the Middle Ages has been carried far enough to make the compilation of a scientific supplement to Du CANGE already advisable.

At any rate FONAHN'S work is an excellent approach to the larger undertaking. It contains a vocabulary of anatomical terms in Arabic or Arabicized Latin, with their modern equivalents. How much this was necessary, Prof. E. G. BROWNE'S lectures on Arabian medicine (1) have shown in a very amusing way. For example a section of the Latin translation of AVICENNA'S Qaniin is entitled de ilixi (2), with alhasch as a marginal variant. What on earth can that be? The Arabic scholar tells us that it is a corruption of al-'ishq, meaning love. This section deals with love considered, in the Muslim fashion, as a mental disease. The anatomical terms were translated, or rather transcribed, in the same barbarous way. Thus the coccyx, al-'us'us, became alhosos; the lumbar region, al-quatan, alchatim, etc. FONAHN has included in his vocabulary practically all the anatomical terms to be found in HYRTL, SIMON (anatomy of GALEN), DE KONING (AL-RXAZ, 'ALI IBN

AL-'ABBAS, AnBU--QiASI) and in the medieval texts edited by KARL SUDHOFF. He has used the Bulaq text of AVItcENNA'S Qnuiin and the

Juntine edition of 1608 for the Latin translation.

(1) Isis, IV, 349. (2) Venice, 1544, f. 208b.

1492. My only criticism is that the many medieval maps illustrating the text should have been reproduced on a larger scale or printed on smoother paper; as they are, it is very difficult to read them, even by means of a magnifying glass. G. S.

A. Fonahn. - a Arabic and Latin anatomical terminology chiefly from the Middle Ages ) (Videnskapsselskapets Skrifter, II, Hist. phil. kl., 1921, 7), 174 p. Kristiania, JACOB DYBWAD, 1922.

American scholars have been discussing for some time the expediency of preparing a new edition of Du CANGE'S Latin dictionary. It would perhaps not be necessary to reprint the whole of it; it might suffice to publish a few supplementary volumes The task of com- piling them, however, would be considerable. I have in mind the many scientific texts that have been published in the last century, - some of them very elaborately with good glossaries. others in a more perfunctory manner, - and mark, the number of unpublished texts, some of them very important, is considerably greater. It is clear that a careful analysis of all these published and of some at least of the unpublished texts would tax the energy of a great number of scholars for many years. One might even ask one's self whether the study of the scientific texts of the Middle Ages has been carried far enough to make the compilation of a scientific supplement to Du CANGE already advisable.

At any rate FONAHN'S work is an excellent approach to the larger undertaking. It contains a vocabulary of anatomical terms in Arabic or Arabicized Latin, with their modern equivalents. How much this was necessary, Prof. E. G. BROWNE'S lectures on Arabian medicine (1) have shown in a very amusing way. For example a section of the Latin translation of AVICENNA'S Qaniin is entitled de ilixi (2), with alhasch as a marginal variant. What on earth can that be? The Arabic scholar tells us that it is a corruption of al-'ishq, meaning love. This section deals with love considered, in the Muslim fashion, as a mental disease. The anatomical terms were translated, or rather transcribed, in the same barbarous way. Thus the coccyx, al-'us'us, became alhosos; the lumbar region, al-quatan, alchatim, etc. FONAHN has included in his vocabulary practically all the anatomical terms to be found in HYRTL, SIMON (anatomy of GALEN), DE KONING (AL-RXAZ, 'ALI IBN

AL-'ABBAS, AnBU--QiASI) and in the medieval texts edited by KARL SUDHOFF. He has used the Bulaq text of AVItcENNA'S Qnuiin and the

Juntine edition of 1608 for the Latin translation.

(1) Isis, IV, 349. (2) Venice, 1544, f. 208b.

170 170

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To give a concrete idea of FONAHN'S vocabulary let us take two pages at random, say p. 50 and 100, and quote the first three words at the top of each: (I quote Arabic words only in transliterated form).

1082 Darz as-sahmi = sutura sagittalis, the sagittal suture (sahm = an arrow)

1083. ad-Darz as-saffildi = sutura sagittalis, the sagittal suture

(saffiud =- a roasting-spit). 1084. ad-Darz ash-shablh bil-lam = sutura lambdoidea, the lambdoid

suture (XaapLboetb];' Paqcp). 2184. Najid, plur. nawajiz = 1. wisdom tooth (dens sapientiae), third

molar tooth, dens serotinus; (2. molar tooth, dens molaris in

general, according to HYRTL). Cfr. nuaged, nuaget, neguegid (Avic.), etc.

2185. Nashza = eminence, protuberance. 2186. * mu'aqqafa = condyle.

There are in all 3718 articles, and most of them are not longer than those I have quoted. A few, however, are much longer, because of some uncertainty or difficulty. As these longer articles are the more interesting and the more likely to stimulate further research, it is well to mention them briefly:

al-akhal = (Avic.) vena nigra; vena mediana (i ~Aal ,pXidp). Cfr the vena nera often quoted by LEONARDO DA VINCI in his quaderni.

alcahab = 1. talus (astragalus); 2. malleolus. See caab. chahab, Arabic ka'b

almagabani - (HYRTL) the fauces. al-maghbin, plur. al-maghabin. For KONING, this is not (( les fauces ) but (( les aisselles n,.

alselamiat = seems to mean not only the phalanges but the metacar- pus (resp. metatarsus) + phalanges, as-sula mayat, plur. of as-sulama the phalanx or finger bone.

musculus reiteratus. oculus spatulae (or scapulae). This is the longest note of the whole

book. HYRTL translated: cavitas glenoidalis scapulae, but there are other interpretations.

os basilare = 1. basis cranii; 2. anterior part of the basis cranii (MUNDINUSI; 3. OS sphenoidale; 4. os occipitale; 5. atlas.

rete mirabile - 1. the rete mirabile (derived from arteria carotis interna) at the base of the skull of certain animals (ruminants and others), supposed (by GALENI to be existing also in man; 2. (BERENGA- RIUS CARPENSIS) branches of arteries around the hypophysis and infun- dibulum cerebri; 3. (R. COLUMBUS) plexus chorioideus ventriculi tertii; 4. sinus cavernosus; 5. circulus arteriosus (WILrrSI)r. Follows a long quotation from MUNDINUS.

171 REVIEWS

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Isis. v. 1923 Isis. v. 1923

sakibata 1-lu'ab = the (two) dischargers of saliva. Ductus sublin-

guales minores or majores ? or ductus submandibulares (Warthoniani or submaxillares?) Texts from AL-RAZI and CALI IBN AL-'ABBAS quoted with KONING'S translations.

sumen (contracted from sugumen)-= . abdomen; 2. hypogastrium; 3. regio umbilica; 4 umbilicus; 5. corda umbilicalis.

al-tali' = les deux veines montantes (v. renales). al-tali' ayin. vermis (MUNDINUS).

zephin = articulatio mandibularis (from the Persian zarfin, a bar. or

ring of a door?) FONAHN'S glossary will be very helpful to students of medieval medi-

cine and to LEONARDO scholars. It is a pity that he did not add an index of modern anatomical terms referring to their medieval equiv- alents. GEORGE SARTON.

E. Doublet. - Histoire de l'astronomie, 572 p. (185 x 120). Paris, GASTON DOIN, 1922.

Sans se poser la question de la toute primitive origine de la science du ciel, DOUBLET s'est efforce de remonter aussi loin que possible dans l'histoire de l'astronomie, et non dans celle des doctrines cosmogo- niques, non seulement chez les peuples appartenant au monde classique, mais aussi chez les Chinois, dont on a pu retrouver quelques obser- vations tres precises, remontant au xIe siecle avant l'ere chretienne, chez les Hindous, chez les Mexicains et les Peruviens avant l'arrivee des Espagnols en Amerique. Mais. on le con9oit, il a fait une part beaucoup plus grande aux Grecs, et surtout aux peuples modernes. C'est a l'histoire de l'astronomie depuis la Renaissance, qu'est consacree la majeure partie de l'ouvrage, qui s'etend jusqu'a la fin du xixe siecle, et se termine par quelques considerations sur l'avenir des etudes astro-

nomiques. Bourre de faits, un peu touffu, et cependant d'une lecture tres

attachante, ce livre est, en meme temps qu'une histoire de 1'astro-

nomie, une histoire des astronomes, des observatoires, et des principaux historiens de la science, de JEAN-FRLEDRIC WEIDLER a PIERRE DUHEM, de la pensee duquel on trouve peut-etre comme un reflet dans l'oeuvre de DOUBLET.

Malheureusement, les dimensions de l'Encyclopedie scientifique dont elle fait partie n'ont pas permis a l'auteur de s'etendre sur les progres de l'astronomie dans les pays extra-europeens, ni sur le prodigieux developpement des etudes d'astronomie physique. C'est a la meme raison sans doute qu'il faut attribuer le fait qu'il n'est point question de l'influence certaine exercee par l'astrologie sur le developpement

sakibata 1-lu'ab = the (two) dischargers of saliva. Ductus sublin-

guales minores or majores ? or ductus submandibulares (Warthoniani or submaxillares?) Texts from AL-RAZI and CALI IBN AL-'ABBAS quoted with KONING'S translations.

sumen (contracted from sugumen)-= . abdomen; 2. hypogastrium; 3. regio umbilica; 4 umbilicus; 5. corda umbilicalis.

al-tali' = les deux veines montantes (v. renales). al-tali' ayin. vermis (MUNDINUS).

zephin = articulatio mandibularis (from the Persian zarfin, a bar. or

ring of a door?) FONAHN'S glossary will be very helpful to students of medieval medi-

cine and to LEONARDO scholars. It is a pity that he did not add an index of modern anatomical terms referring to their medieval equiv- alents. GEORGE SARTON.

E. Doublet. - Histoire de l'astronomie, 572 p. (185 x 120). Paris, GASTON DOIN, 1922.

Sans se poser la question de la toute primitive origine de la science du ciel, DOUBLET s'est efforce de remonter aussi loin que possible dans l'histoire de l'astronomie, et non dans celle des doctrines cosmogo- niques, non seulement chez les peuples appartenant au monde classique, mais aussi chez les Chinois, dont on a pu retrouver quelques obser- vations tres precises, remontant au xIe siecle avant l'ere chretienne, chez les Hindous, chez les Mexicains et les Peruviens avant l'arrivee des Espagnols en Amerique. Mais. on le con9oit, il a fait une part beaucoup plus grande aux Grecs, et surtout aux peuples modernes. C'est a l'histoire de l'astronomie depuis la Renaissance, qu'est consacree la majeure partie de l'ouvrage, qui s'etend jusqu'a la fin du xixe siecle, et se termine par quelques considerations sur l'avenir des etudes astro-

nomiques. Bourre de faits, un peu touffu, et cependant d'une lecture tres

attachante, ce livre est, en meme temps qu'une histoire de 1'astro-

nomie, une histoire des astronomes, des observatoires, et des principaux historiens de la science, de JEAN-FRLEDRIC WEIDLER a PIERRE DUHEM, de la pensee duquel on trouve peut-etre comme un reflet dans l'oeuvre de DOUBLET.

Malheureusement, les dimensions de l'Encyclopedie scientifique dont elle fait partie n'ont pas permis a l'auteur de s'etendre sur les progres de l'astronomie dans les pays extra-europeens, ni sur le prodigieux developpement des etudes d'astronomie physique. C'est a la meme raison sans doute qu'il faut attribuer le fait qu'il n'est point question de l'influence certaine exercee par l'astrologie sur le developpement

172 172

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