The case of Zinjafr in the medical and mineralogical texts of medieval Persia: a puzzle created in the absence of the concept of chemical elements

IF 1.8 3区化学 Q1 HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

Foundations of Chemistry Pub Date : 2022-07-13 DOI:10.1007/s10698-022-09436-9

Nazila Farmani Anooshe, Aliyar Mousavi

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Abstract

An examination of some of the writings in the medical and mineralogical texts of Persia in the Middle Ages, written in the Arabic language during the caliphate period, revealed an inconsistency concerning the modern chemical identity of the substance called zinjafr, which was recognized as a medication for wounds, burns, mange, and cavities. Although some of the literature identified it as the important ore cinnabar (red mercury(II) sulfide), some questioned that identification or even ambiguously described it as a substance produced from lead. A modern chemical study was conducted and identified the latter substance as minium (trilead tetraoxide). The reason for the medieval authors not distinguishing between those two compounds is discussed and the fact that the dictionaries of modern written Arabic commonly have the words zinjafr and cinnabar listed as equivalents is also explored. Further, the ability of Arabic alchemy to distinguish between cinnabar and minium is assessed in light of modern chemistry.

Graphical abstract

A 1973 Soviet postage stamp celebrating the 1000th anniversary of al-Biruni’s birth (https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slika:Biruni-russian.jpg).

Abstract Image

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中世纪波斯医学和矿物学文献中的Zinjafr案例:在缺乏化学元素概念的情况下创造的谜题

一项对中世纪波斯医学和矿物学文献的研究显示，一种被称为zinjafr的物质的现代化学特性不一致，这种物质被认为是治疗伤口、烧伤、皮肤病和龋齿的药物。虽然一些文献将其确定为重要的矿石朱砂(红汞(II)硫化物)，但有些人质疑这种鉴定，甚至含糊地将其描述为铅产生的物质。进行了一项现代化学研究，确定后一种物质为微量(三氧化二氮)。讨论了中世纪作者不区分这两种化合物的原因，并探讨了现代书面阿拉伯语词典通常将zinjafr和cinnabar列为等同词的事实。进一步，从现代化学的角度评价了阿拉伯炼金术区分朱砂和微量元素的能力。图片摘要1973年苏联纪念比鲁尼诞辰1000周年的邮票(https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slika:Biruni-russian.jpg)。

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Foundations of Chemistry HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE-

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期刊介绍： Foundations of Chemistry is an international journal which seeks to provide an interdisciplinary forum where chemists, biochemists, philosophers, historians, educators and sociologists with an interest in foundational issues can discuss conceptual and fundamental issues which relate to the `central science'' of chemistry. Such issues include the autonomous role of chemistry between physics and biology and the question of the reduction of chemistry to quantum mechanics. The journal will publish peer-reviewed academic articles on a wide range of subdisciplines, among others: chemical models, chemical language, metaphors, and theoretical terms; chemical evolution and artificial self-replication; industrial application, environmental concern, and the social and ethical aspects of chemistry''s professionalism; the nature of modeling and the role of instrumentation in chemistry; institutional studies and the nature of explanation in the chemical sciences; theoretical chemistry, molecular structure and chaos; the issue of realism; molecular biology, bio-inorganic chemistry; historical studies on ancient chemistry, medieval chemistry and alchemy; philosophical and historical articles; and material of a didactic nature relating to all topics in the chemical sciences. Foundations of Chemistry plans to feature special issues devoted to particular themes, and will contain book reviews and discussion notes. Audience: chemists, biochemists, philosophers, historians, chemical educators, sociologists, and other scientists with an interest in the foundational issues of science.