oa Abul Kassim A1 Zahrawi (936 -1013 AD)

“Abul Kassim A1 Zahrawi” known in the west as “Abul Casis” was born in Cordoba in 936 AD. He made a famous name as a brilliant surgeon in the era of A1 Andalus (Muslim Spain). He wrote several books including a large reference book in the methodology of surgery, called Al Tasrif. He affirmed first of all that there is no barrier between Medicine and Surgery, i.e. between “Cutting” experience and knowledge of clinical and functional aspects of a disease. This is in contrast to medieval surgeons of his time whose job was to cut and chop parts and organs with little understanding of the disease problem they were treating. He recommended certainty of diagnosis before any intervention and developed many instruments. He critically analyzed various aspects of fractures and listed different methods of extraction and dis-location of arrow tips (a common injury in his time). His tech-niques were used for centuries. Instrument of traction for the treatment of dislocation and fractures are still displayed at the “Atger Museum”, Montpellier, France.