Acquaintance and Knowledge of Muslim Scientists with the Animal “Qeys?ar”

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Abstract

In the veterinary texts of the Islamic period, we frequently encounter the word Qeys?ar, which is an animal disease and specially has been well described in horses. It is characterized by muscular contractions, the retraction of the third eyelid, dysphasia and other symptoms that have been mentioned in the veterinary literature of Islamic period manuscripts. Considering these symptoms and some evident similarities, we have tried in this study to compare Qeys?ar with Tetanus. Our methods are etymological and historical studies of these three words (Qeys?ar, Koz?z and Tetanus), in classical Arabic, Persian and also western (Roman and Greek) sources. According our knowledge, this is the first scientific study of Qeys?ar in the view point of pathology and etimology of this disease.

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