Description

This majestic encyclopedic work on medicine and chemistry was written by Şerefeddin Mağmûmî, an Ottoman doctor and political activist who based himself in Cairo, after having lived in exile in Paris. Today, the work represents an unparalleled resource for deciphering thousands of Ottoman medical terms, which have been largely forgotten since the 1930s. Each French term is translated to Ottoman and explained in lengthy text.

Şerefeddin Mağmûmî (1869-1927) was an Ottoman medical doctor, educated in Istanbul, and an author of mostly medical books and travelogues connected with his work. In 1895, he was appointed as an inspector for the cholera-affected areas of the Ottoman Empire, in the Adana, Aleppo, Beirut and Syria provinces, where he spent the better part of the next two years.

In the 1890s, Şerefeddin controversially got involved in politics, forcing him to flee to Paris, where he published his opinions in the magazine Meşveret (Mechveret), issued by the Young Turks. He eventually became a member of the editorial board, approving ‘politically acceptable’ articles. After the newspaper was closed, he remained in Paris, working as a physician and writing articles for Istanbul-based magazines.

In 1901, Şerefeddin Mağmûmî moved to Cairo, where he was an esteemed member of the medical community.

References: OCLC: 236016743, 984481125, 66986717.