Innovations and discoveries of Jorjani in medicine

Abstract

Theologian Seyed Esmaeel Jorjani (1041-1136), titled Zeinoddin and known as Jorjani, is one of the most famous Iranian physicians. Almost one thousand years ago, he did valuable compilations in the history of medicine and many of his medical views are, to a great extent, in line with the recent views. His most famous work is Zakhire Kharazmshahi. His innovations and practices in various branches of medical sciences are quite new and unique. Jorjani was very efficient in surgery and, in his main book Zakhire, he introduced different methods and instruments of surgery in a way that it shows his dexterity and depth of experience. He explained methods of stopping severe hemorrhage by casting them with plaster, treating the obstruction of air canals by tracheotomy, curing the difficulty in urination by catheterization, the exact method of removing apophasis and stitching the spot after cutting and paring in polyp surgery in full details.

Jorjani also wrote about cancer, its difficulty of treatment, the necessity to avoid inciting it, and the impact of early treatment. In Zakhire, he pointed to the relationship between exophthalmos and goiter, and the relationship between outgrowth of thyroid and increase in heart rate; this way, he came to understand about the pathologic toxic reactions of thyrotoxicosis.