Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1769 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
5 volumes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Abul-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al-Zahravi, known in the West as Albucasis or Abulcasis, was born in 936. He was an Andalusian physician, surgeon, chemist and scientist. He is considered the father of modern surgery and is famous for his original breakthroughs in surgery, his invention of several surgical instruments, and for the Kitab al-Tasrif, a thirty volume encyclopedia of medical practices. He died in 1013.
John Channing was born in London, in c 1703. He was apprenticed to his father, also John Channing, an apothecary, in 1718. He purchased premises in Essex Street, off the Strand, and maintained an apothecary shop until his death in 1775. He was accomplished in translating and editing Arabic texts, and translated the Al-Zahravi surgical volumes into Latin. They were published in 1778.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0114 MS0046 1769 Collection (fonds) 5 volumes Channing , John , c 1703-1775 , apothecary and Arabist
Zahravi , Abul-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al- , 936-1013 , surgeon x al-Zahravi , Abul-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas x Albucasis x Abulcasis
Abul-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al-Zahravi, known in the West as Albucasis or Abulcasis, was born in 936. He was an Andalusian physician, surgeon, chemist and scientist. He is considered the father of modern surgery and is famous for his original breakthroughs in surgery, his invention of several surgical instruments, and for the Kitab al-Tasrif, a thirty volume encyclopedia of medical practices. He died in 1013.
John Channing was born in London, in c 1703. He was apprenticed to his father, also John Channing, an apothecary, in 1718. He purchased premises in Essex Street, off the Strand, and maintained an apothecary shop until his death in 1775. He was accomplished in translating and editing Arabic texts, and translated the Al-Zahravi surgical volumes into Latin. They were published in 1778.
The manuscript volumes were donated to the Library by J W Turner in 1861. There is a letter from J W Turner concerning this donation included in one of the volumes.
Papers relating to the Albucasis De Chirurgica (Surgery of Albucasis or Al-Zahravi), 1769, comprising 5 volumes of manuscript translations from Arabic into Latin, covering various aspects of surgery including general surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology, urology and orthopaedic surgery.
The volumes are read from back to front, in the Arabic style. The Arabic text is on the left hand pages, and the Latin translation is on the right hand pages.
By written appointment with the Deputy Librarian.
No photocopying permitted.
Arabic and Latin
Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1928) by Victor G Plarr.
Original Arabic manuscripts are held at the Bodleian Library, Oxford.
A copy of Channing's translation is held in the RCS Library.
Compiled by Anya Turner.
Sources: University of Hasanuddin (Indonesia) website at http://www.unhas.ac.id/~rhiza/saintis/zahravi.html and the Library Special Collections website of the University of Glasgow at http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/june2003.html
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Aug 2008 Channing , John , c 1703-1775 , apothecary and Arabist Gynaecology Medical sciences Obstetrics Orthopaedics Surgery Therapy Translation Urology Zahravi , Abul-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al- , 936-1013 , surgeon x al-Zahravi , Abul-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas x Albucasis x Abulcasis
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The manuscript volumes were donated to the Library by J W Turner in 1861. There is a letter from J W Turner concerning this donation included in one of the volumes.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers relating to the Albucasis De Chirurgica (Surgery of Albucasis or Al-Zahravi), 1769, comprising 5 volumes of manuscript translations from Arabic into Latin, covering various aspects of surgery including general surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology, urology and orthopaedic surgery.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The volumes are read from back to front, in the Arabic style. The Arabic text is on the left hand pages, and the Latin translation is on the right hand pages.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
By written appointment with the Deputy Librarian.
Conditions governing reproduction
No photocopying permitted.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
Arabic and Latin
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1928) by Victor G Plarr.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
A copy of Channing's translation is held in the RCS Library.
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English