Collection of medicinal recipes possibly by a druggist, who is referred to as ‘the Damascene’ (Al-Dimašqī). A large number of simples are mentioned, including saffron, bdellium, pepper, Indian myrrh, almonds, sandalwood, cinnamon, rose-water, honey, sesame seeds, sesame oil, lemon, and vinegar. The appearance of the handwriting suggests that these were possibly notes taken by the druggist for his own use, a handbook for his practice.Condition: Torn, holes, rubbed, stainedLayout: various lines; 2 columns
Leaves from a booklet (possibly for personal use) with extracts of recipes from Al-Kindī, Kitāb kīmīyā’ al-ʿiṭr (‘The chemistry of perfume’), including preparations with cinnamon, cardamom, lichen, nard, tailed pepper, cinnamon, camphor, saffron, musk and rose-water.Condition: Torn, rubbedLayout: 15 lines (recto); 14 lines (verso) + marginalia; P2: 17.3 x 16.1; 13 lines
Bifolium from Al-Majūsī, Kāmil al-ṣināʿa, third discourse of the first part, chapters 34-36, dealing with the foetus in the womb, the anatomy of the breast, testes and seminal vessels (ed. Būlāq 1877, I: 120-122).Condition: Torn, rubbed, slightly fadedLayout: 17 lines
Opening page of the ninth discourse of the first part of Al-Majūsī, Kāmil al-Ṣināʿa, including the title and the beginning of chapter 1 on internal diseases (ed. Būlāq 1877, I: 319-320). The title and author’s name are copied on f. 1v in alternating black and red ink. F. 1r contains a note, in a different hand from the main text (and in a less bookish style), noting that the muḥtasib of the city should ask the doctor about the number, the form and the place of the bones in the human body.Condition: Slightly rubbed, slightly stainedLayout: 11-12 lines
Passage from Al-Majūsī, Kāmil al-ṣināʿa (‘The complete book on the art [of medicine]’): from the second discourse of the first part: chapter 2: anatomy of the bones in the skull, nasal bones and bones of the face (ed. Būlāq 1877, I: 50-51). Belongs with T-S Ar.42.49.Condition: Torn, slightly rubbed, slightly stainedLayout: 17 lines (recto); 16 lines (verso)
Leaves from Al-Majūsī, Kāmil al-ṣināʿat al-ṭibbiyya (‘The complete art of medicine’), from the 8th discourse of the first part, dealing with the causes and types of fevers – ephemeral, septic and phthisic (ed. Būlāq 1877, I: 294-296).Layout: 22 lines + marginalia
From a treatise on phlebotomy attributed to a certain Al-Rašīd, here dealing with the use of phlebotomy to relieve pain in various parts of the body; phlebotomy of the saphenous vein to treat diseases of the uterus and dysmenorrhea; the application of phlebotomy to children and the elderly.Condition: Torn, holes, stainedLayout: 2-23 lines
Leaf from a Judaeo-Arabic version of ʿAlī ibn ʿĪsā, Taḏkirat al-kaḥḥālīn (‘Memorandum for opticians’), second discourse, chapters 22-29 (ed. Hyderabad 1964, pp. 132-133).Layout: 11-12 lines
Page from a Judaeo-Arabic version of ʿAlī ibn ʿĪsā, Taḏkirat al-kaḥḥālīn (‘Memorandum for opticians’) third discourse, chapter 5, on long-sightedness and beginning of chapter 6 on shortsightedness (ed. Hyderabad 1964, pp. 293-295).Condition: Torn, tiny holes, slightly rubbedLayout: 15 lines (recto); 12 lines (verso) + marginalia
Recto: beginning of an Arabic translation of Nicolaus Damascenus’ synopsis of Pseudo-Aristotle (probably Nicolaus himself), De Plantis. Verso: autograph signature of Moses Maimonides who once owned the book.Condition: Torn, tiny holes, badly rubbed, badly fadedLayout: P1: 17 lines (recto); 1 line (verso); P2: 17 lines