Rufus of Ephesus
Encyclopedia
Rufus of Ephesus was an ancient Greek physician and author who wrote treatises on dietetics, pathology
, anatomy
, and patient care. He was to some extent a follower of Hippocrates
, although he at times criticized or departed from that author's teachings. His writings dealt with subjects often neglected by other authors, such as the treatment of slaves
and the elderly. Some of his works survive to this day. He was particularly influential in the East, and some of his works survive only in Arabic
. His teachings emphasized the importance of anatomy, and sought pragmatic approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
, he lived in the time of Trajan
(98-117), which is probably correct, as Rufus quotes Zeuxis
and Dioscorides, and is himself quoted by Galen
. He probably studied at Alexandria
, for he makes personal comments about the general health of the country and specific diseases. He then established himself at Ephesus
, which was at that time a center of the medical profession.
. Rufus considered the spleen
to be absolutely useless. He intimated that the recurrent nerves were then recently discovered, saying "The ancients called the arteries of the neck carotid, because they believed that when they were pressed hard, the animal became sleepy and lost its voice; but in our age it has been discovered that this accident does not proceed from pressing upon these arteries, but upon the nerves contiguous to them." He showed that the nerves proceed from the brain
, and he divided them into two classes, those of the senses and those of motion. He considered the heart
to be the seat of life, and noticed that the left ventricle
is smaller and thicker than the right.
The names of nearly one hundred works have been preserved by Galen, the Suda, and especially by Arabic writers, who appear to have translated almost all of them into Arabic. Ibn al-Nadim
mentioned his few works, while Husaibia mentioned 58 books by Rufus of Ephesus. Most of his works have been lost. The surviving works of Rufus include:
His short treatise Medical Questions, is valuable because its advice on how a doctor can gain information from a patient through questions offers a glimpse into the bedside manner of an ancient doctor. Arabic writers have also preserved numerous fragments from his self-help manual For the Layman. Other fragments of his lost works are preserved by Galen, Oribasius
, Aëtius
, Rhazes, Ibn al-Baitar, etc. Rufus also commentated on some of the works of Hippocrates
, and he is said by Galen to have been a diligent student of them, and to have always endeavoured to preserve the ancient readings of the text.
Qusta ibn Luqa
translated another treatise, on Nabidh
, into Arabic. Ibn Menduria Isfahani also edited ‘Risalah al Nabidh’. Fuat Sezgin
stated that a copy of the manuscript ‘Risalah al Nabidh’ is extant at present only in the Library of University of Aleppo
. However, another copy of this manuscript is also preserved in the Library of Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences
. This second copy of the manuscript ‘Risalah al Nabidh’ dated 1745AD was derived from another manuscript dated 1291AD as Qusta ibn Luqa
its translator from the original text on Nabidh
by Rufus of Ephesus. Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman
edited the second copy of the manuscript ‘Risalah al Nabidh’ dated 1745AD with translation and detailed commentary.
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, and patient care. He was to some extent a follower of Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
, although he at times criticized or departed from that author's teachings. His writings dealt with subjects often neglected by other authors, such as the treatment of slaves
Slavery in antiquity
Slavery in the ancient world, specifically, in Mediterranean cultures, comprised a mixture of debt-slavery, slavery as a punishment for crime, and the enslavement of prisoners of war....
and the elderly. Some of his works survive to this day. He was particularly influential in the East, and some of his works survive only in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
. His teachings emphasized the importance of anatomy, and sought pragmatic approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
Life
Little is known about the life of Rufus. According to the SudaSuda
The Suda or Souda is a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world, formerly attributed to an author called Suidas. It is an encyclopedic lexicon, written in Greek, with 30,000 entries, many drawing from ancient sources that have since been lost, and often...
, he lived in the time of Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
(98-117), which is probably correct, as Rufus quotes Zeuxis
Zeuxis of Tarentum
Zeuxis of Tarentum, 3rd century BC, was a physician of the Empiric school, who wrote commentaries on the works of Hippocrates.He was a native of Tarentum, one of the earliest commentators on the writings of Hippocrates, and also one of the earliest of the Empiric school...
and Dioscorides, and is himself quoted by Galen
Galen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
. He probably studied at Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, for he makes personal comments about the general health of the country and specific diseases. He then established himself at Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
, which was at that time a center of the medical profession.
Works
He wrote several medical works, some of which are still extant. The principal of these is entitled On the Names of the Parts of the Human Body. The work contains valuable information concerning the state of anatomical science before the time of GalenGalen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
. Rufus considered the spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
to be absolutely useless. He intimated that the recurrent nerves were then recently discovered, saying "The ancients called the arteries of the neck carotid, because they believed that when they were pressed hard, the animal became sleepy and lost its voice; but in our age it has been discovered that this accident does not proceed from pressing upon these arteries, but upon the nerves contiguous to them." He showed that the nerves proceed from the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
, and he divided them into two classes, those of the senses and those of motion. He considered the heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
to be the seat of life, and noticed that the left ventricle
Ventricle (heart)
In the heart, a ventricle is one of two large chambers that collect and expel blood received from an atrium towards the peripheral beds within the body and lungs. The Atria primes the Pump...
is smaller and thicker than the right.
The names of nearly one hundred works have been preserved by Galen, the Suda, and especially by Arabic writers, who appear to have translated almost all of them into Arabic. Ibn al-Nadim
Ibn al-Nadim
Abu'l-Faraj Muhammad bin Is'hāq al-Nadim , whose father was known as al-Warrāq was a Shia Muslim scholar and bibliographer. Some scholars regard him as a Persian, but this is not certain. He is famous as the author of the Kitāb al-Fihrist...
mentioned his few works, while Husaibia mentioned 58 books by Rufus of Ephesus. Most of his works have been lost. The surviving works of Rufus include:
- On the Names of the Parts of the Human Body
- On Diseases of the Bladder and Kidneys (1977 CMG Greek text)
- On Satyriasis and GonorrheaGonorrheaGonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The usual symptoms in men are burning with urination and penile discharge. Women, on the other hand, are asymptomatic half the time or have vaginal discharge and pelvic pain...
- Medical Questions
- On Gout (in Latin)
- On Nabidh (in Arabic)
- On Jaundice (in Latin and Arabic)
- Case histories (in Arabic)
His short treatise Medical Questions, is valuable because its advice on how a doctor can gain information from a patient through questions offers a glimpse into the bedside manner of an ancient doctor. Arabic writers have also preserved numerous fragments from his self-help manual For the Layman. Other fragments of his lost works are preserved by Galen, Oribasius
Oribasius
Oribasius or Oreibasius was a Greek medical writer and the personal physician of the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate. He studied at Alexandria under physician Zeno of Cyprus before joining Julian's retinue. He was involved in Julian's coronation in 361, and remained with the emperor until...
, Aëtius
Aëtius Amidenus
Aëtius of Amida was a Byzantine physician and medical writer, particularly distinguished by the extent of his erudition. Historians are not agreed about his exact date...
, Rhazes, Ibn al-Baitar, etc. Rufus also commentated on some of the works of Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
, and he is said by Galen to have been a diligent student of them, and to have always endeavoured to preserve the ancient readings of the text.
Qusta ibn Luqa
Qusta ibn Luqa
Qusta ibn Luqa was a Melkite physician, scientist and translator, of Byzantine Greek extraction. He was born in Baalbek. Travelling to parts of the Byzantine Empire, he brought back Greek texts and translated them into Arabic.- Biography :Qusta ibn Luqa al-BaBa'albakki, i. e...
translated another treatise, on Nabidh
Nabidh
Nabidh is a drink traditionally made from fruits such as raisins/grapes or dates. Nabidh may be non intoxicating, mildy intoxicating, or heavily intoxicating depending on the level of fermentation.Abu Hurayrah says of the drink:...
, into Arabic. Ibn Menduria Isfahani also edited ‘Risalah al Nabidh’. Fuat Sezgin
Fuat Sezgin
Fuat Sezgin is an orientalist who specializes in the history of Arabic-Islamic science. He is professor emeritus of the History of Natural Science at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany and the founder and honorary director of the Institute of the History of the Arab Islamic...
stated that a copy of the manuscript ‘Risalah al Nabidh’ is extant at present only in the Library of University of Aleppo
University of Aleppo
University of Aleppo is a public university located in Aleppo, Syria. It is the second largest university in Syria after the University of Damascus....
. However, another copy of this manuscript is also preserved in the Library of Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences
Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences
Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences is one of the Indian NGOs, which is registered under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882. Mohammad Hamid Ansari, former vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, formally inaugurated it on April 21, 2001...
. This second copy of the manuscript ‘Risalah al Nabidh’ dated 1745AD was derived from another manuscript dated 1291AD as Qusta ibn Luqa
Qusta ibn Luqa
Qusta ibn Luqa was a Melkite physician, scientist and translator, of Byzantine Greek extraction. He was born in Baalbek. Travelling to parts of the Byzantine Empire, he brought back Greek texts and translated them into Arabic.- Biography :Qusta ibn Luqa al-BaBa'albakki, i. e...
its translator from the original text on Nabidh
Nabidh
Nabidh is a drink traditionally made from fruits such as raisins/grapes or dates. Nabidh may be non intoxicating, mildy intoxicating, or heavily intoxicating depending on the level of fermentation.Abu Hurayrah says of the drink:...
by Rufus of Ephesus. Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman
Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman
Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman , is well known for his contribution to Unani medicine. He founded Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences in 2000...
edited the second copy of the manuscript ‘Risalah al Nabidh’ dated 1745AD with translation and detailed commentary.