Surgical firsts in Arabic medical literature.

The contributions to surgery made by physicians writing in Arabic are enumerated and documented. The contributors include the following: Masarjuwayh, al-Razi, Ibn Sina, al-Zahrawi, Ibn Zuhr, al-Shirazi and Ibn al-Dhahabi. Excerpts from the works of most of these authors are given in English translation with references, short biographical notes and a discussion of each contribution.