By: Andrew Tao

Have you ever wondered how doctors figured out how to give you stitches? It’s due mainly to the research and testing of one man, al-Zahrawi. Also known as Albucasis, he invented over 200 surgical tools, including the scalpel, hook, and surgical scissors. These inventions are still used to this day.

Albucasis was born in 936 near modern Spain and died in 1013. He was the court physician to the Andalusian Caliph; a court physician is a physician who treats people in the royal court. He also wrote the book, “Al-Taṣrīf”, which translates to “The Method.” This book contained all the things he discovered in his lifetime, including how to treat diseases, medical instruments, nutrition, and much more.

Some of the things or methods that Albucasis invented include the scalpel, hook, and surgical scissors. A scalpel is a sharp knife used for surgery, a hook used in surgery to close wounds and revise scars, and surgical scissors are super sharp and precise scissors used for surgery. Albucasis also came up with new ways to treat wounds and diseases. For example, he came up with using cauterization to treat fistulas. While he didn’t invent the method, he certainly popularized it.

If it were not for Albucasis, today’s medicine would be far behind where it is right now. It would have likely taken another few hundred years to get to the point where medicine is today. Countless lives have been saved due to the work of Albucasis, but he barely gets any recognition for it. Cancer would be more deadly without him, and transplants would not be nearly as advanced. In conclusion, Albucasis was one of the most important figures in the history of medicine, with him inventing hundreds of surgical tools and methods.