Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

consciousness, thwarts good counselling, weakens digestion, and
causes death by freezing the natural faculties.’ (Hamarneh, 1972).
Abu Al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi (936–1013) wrote a 30 volume treatise on
medicine and surgery ‘Al-Tasrif li-man ‘ajaza ‘an al-ta’lif’ [The guide
for him who cannot compose]. The 28 th volume was translated in
1472 as ‘Liber Servitoris’ (Sneader, 2005).
1019 Ibn Hindu (Abu al-Faraj Ali ibn al-Husayn) died 1019, wrote ‘Miftah
al-Tibb wa-minhaj al-tullab’ [The key to the science of medicine and
the students’ guide] He quotes ‘While walking through the fields, a
group of boys picked laurel seeds, and one of them tasted some. He
was later bitten by a snake and, when he did not suffer any
symptoms, it was realised that the laurel seeds had saved him. This
was proof of their usefulness as an antidote and, from that day, they
were included in the antidotes for poison.’ (Nasser and Tibi, 2007).
1040 The use of woodblock printing, although in existence since the Tang
Dynasty in 868 AD, was further improved by Bi Sheng in 1040 AD
with the invention of movable type.
1042 Edward the Confessor and Philip I of France instituted the ‘Royal
Touch’ for scrofula and the King’s Evil ( tuberculosis). The custom
died out in 1825 in France and 1714 in Queen Ann’s reign.
1061 ‘Bencao Tu Jing’ [Atlas of materia medica]. Song Dynasty (960–
1279). It was written by Song Su (1020–1101).
It was said that in order to evaluate the effect of genuine
Shangdang ginseng, two persons were asked to run together. One
was given the ginseng while the other ran without. After running for
approximately three to five li [equivalent to 1500 to 2500 metres], the
one without the ginseng developed severe shortness of breath, while
the one who took the ginseng breathed evenly and smoothly. An
early clinical trial.
(http://www.jameslindlibrary.org/illustrating/records/atlas-of-materiamedica/key_passages)
Accessed 7 th April 2013
High Middle Ages
1082–1117 Important prescription texts in the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD).
1082 ‘Zhenglei Bencao’ [Classified materia medica] by Tang Shen-Wei,
listed 1,558 drugs.
1107–1110 Chen Shiwen wrote Taiping Huimin Heji jufang [Prescriptions from
the pharmacy of harmonious assistance] This work lists 788
prescriptions and gives information on how to prepare and use