Arabic Chemistry

Abstract

i. MAY I be allowed to direct the attention of those interested in the history of chemistry to an important paper by Prof. Eilhard Wiedemann of Erlangen? It is entitled “Zur Alchemie bei den Arabern” and is published in Heft V. of the “Abhandlungen zur Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften und der Medizin,” Erlangen, 1922. It contains a translation of the passage concerning alchemy in the “Kashfu'l-Zunūn“ of Hajji Khalifa, with many biographical details of the chemists mentioned. Several of these details have been provided by Prof. Brockelmann, the author of the monumental “Geschichte der arabischen Litteratur,” and are entirely new. There is also a list of the most important works (with a few extracts) of the famous Aidamir al-Jildakī († 1361).