Türk Nöroşirürji Dergisi 2008 , Vol 18 , Num 2
Chief Physician Emir Çelebi and Chapters Related to the Anatomy of Nerve System in his Famous Work Enmûzecü't-Tıbb (Sample of Medicine)
Ahmet ACIDUMAN
Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Deontoloji Anabilim Dalı, Ankara, Türkiye AIM: To determine the place of Enmûzecü'-t-Tıbb (Sample of Medicine) written by Emir Çelebi in 17th century in history of neurosurgery and medicine.

MATERIAL and METHOD: Four handwritten copies of Enmûzecü't-Tıbb were studied. Nerve system related chapters of the work in four copies were transcribed into the Latin alphabet, translated to contemporary Turkish and then studied and compared to each other and other main works in history of medicine.

RESULTS: Emir Çelebi wrote a book of medicine containing chapters related to nerve system anatomy and he added a last chapter giving deontological advices to physicians stressing the importance of dissection in medical education. Studies on these chapters revealed that Emir Celebi was greatly influenced by Avicenna's Canon.

CONCLUSION: It was a turning point for Ottoman Medicine that Emir Celebi apparently discussed that dissection of human body should be placed in medical education in his work. Although it is possible that Emir Celebi dissected the human body, he did not present different explanations from Avicenna regarding central and peripheral nerve system anatomy. This situation could be evaluated as the result of the “ipse dixit” attitude. On the other hand, on behalf of Turkish medical education, a section regarding anatomy, even abridged, in a Turkish medical book is really important. Anahtar Kelimeler : Anatomy, Emir Celebi, Neuroanatomy, History of medicine