Türk Nöroşirürji Dergisi 2011 , Vol 21 , Num 1
Evaluation of the Chapters Related to Neurosurgery in “Kitaati Nekave Fi Tercemeti Kelimati Boerhave” by Chief-Physician Abd al-Aziz Efendi
Ahmet ACIDUMAN, Berna ARDA
Ankara Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Tıp Tarihi ve Etik Anabilim Dalı, Ankara, Türkiye AIM: To introduce and compare the sections of “Kitaati Nekave fi Tercemeti Kelimati Boerhave” translated from Boerhaave's “Aphorisims” into Turkish and commented by chief-physician Abd al-Aziz Efendi.

MATERIAL and METHODS: The sections related to neurosurgery were examined in the copies of “Kitaati Nekave fi Tercemeti Kelimati Boerhave” that were in Istanbul Süleymaniye Library, Esad Efendi Collection, no. 2462 and Beyazıt State Library, Veliyuddin Efendi Collection, No: 2484.

RESULTS: The second article of the Turkish translation is about “wounds” and complete or partial interruption of nerves is in the first chapter “wounds in general”; “wounds of head” and neurosurgical applications such as trepanation are in its second chapter. Hydrocephalus is in the eleventh chapter of the fifth article containing “chronic diseases”.

CONCLUSION: Boerhaave's “Aphorisms” related to contemporary neurosurgical subjects such as head injuries, nerve injuries and hydrocephalus reflected the Western medical knowledge of his own era. Translation of Subhizade might cause Ottoman physicians to gain that Western medical data, even delayed. It is really hard to be optimistic on widespread of Subhîzâde's work among the physicians of the Empire, when its numbers of copies were considered. Anahtar Kelimeler : Aphorisms, Boerhaave, Hydrocephalus, Head injuries, Nerve injuries, Subhizade Abd al-Aziz, History of medicine, Turkey, Turkish medicine, Ottoman medicine