14. Ibn Al-Jazzar
(Died in 399H/1009AD)

Abu Jafar Ahmed Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Abu Khalid al-Kirawani Ibn al-Jazzar, known in the West by Algizar was a Arab Muslim physician who lived in Kirawan, in Tunisia in the 10th century, and died in 1009 at an age exceeding 80 years old(90). Details of his life and scientific contributions are very scarce. However, Zigrid Hunkah states that “he used to accompany Arab ships travelling from Tunisia to Europe, serving as a physician”(91).

Scientific Contributions

Ibn al-Jazzar described in his books the causes, symptoms and treatment of the diseases that might affect travellers. He has also laid down an accurate description of people infected with smallpox and measles. He came up with valuable data about internal diseases, and dealt with different kinds of fever and on epidemics.

Major Works

Ibn al-Jazzar left many medical books(92), among which :

- “Zad al-Musafir” (The Traveller's Supplies) : It is his most famous book and was translated by Constantine the African into Latin. It was also translated into Greek and Hebrew. This book enjoyed a wide reputation among physicians in the Middle Ages, and remained part of the syllabus in European universities up the 16th century. Many libraries around the world have manuscript copies of this book.

- “Kitab al-I’timad” : A book about medicines, compiled by al-Jazzar for one of the Fatimid Caliphs in Africa. Manuscripts of this book are preserved in Algiers and Istanbul.

- “Medicine of the Poor” : A manuscript treatise preserved in the Museum of Iraq.

- “Causes of the Epidemic in Egypt and ways of Prevention.”