Hakim Ajmal Khan: a Renowned Physician of
Indian Subcontinent
Anis Ahmad ANSARI
Prof(Retd), Department Of Kulliyat, Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College Aligarh
Muslim University Aligarh-202001-India
Summary
Masihul Mulk Hakim Ajmal Khan was the scion of family of physicians, he was
not only a genius physician but vigorously advocated the cause of upliftment of
Indian Systems of Medicine i.e. Unani Tibb and Ayurveda. Besides this the Ajmal
Khan was an acclaimed physician, a statesman of National status, a poet of great
sentiments, an orator and educationist at the same time Hm. Ajmal Khan was born
in Delhi on 17 Shawwal 1284 A.H. (1863 A.D.) in a very distinguished family of
physicians who came in India from Kashghar (Turkishi an) during the period of
Mughal King Babur.
As a physician Hakim Ajmal Khan enjoyed worldwide fame as a physician. He had
an absolute command over the Unani theory and practice. Besides this, his strong
will power and spiritual force too, played an important role in his miraculous
healing power for which he was famous. A well-known anecdote of curing a French
lady whose legs contracted due to spasms accompanied by acute pain in the stom-
ach, carried his fame far and wide. This incident occurred in Paris, where a Doctor,
who spoke in derogatory manner about the Unani system challenged Hakim Ajmal
Khan to diagnose the case of a lady patient where all attempts, including the X-ray,
failed to reveal the actual nature of the disease. Ajmal Khan questioned the lady
about her hobbies and what games she played. It was found that the women played
tennis and went riding. After a thoughtful pause Hakim Sahib produced a medicine
and asked the lady to take it in butter every morning. After about two weeks she was
perfectly cured, and this resulted in the Doctor’s acceptance of the superiority of the
Unani system. For Ajmal Khan, medicine was an indivisible whole, and his
approach towards its problems and their solutions was an integrated one. He had
recognized the merits of different medical systems and tried to take good things
from each one. In his review of Dr. Ghulam Jilani’s book which was written with
the object of brining Unani medicine and modern medicine closer to each other, he
expressed his views thus:
“I und erstand that this collection may serve as a useful medium for a dialogue
between Unani Tabibs and Allopathic doctors and reduce the prejudices which are
there due to mutual ignorance of each other’s system. Some people might have
heard the story of three persons who knew only their own languages and wanted to
purchase grapes. Each of them named grapes in his own language which others
could not understand. The ignorance of each other’s language led them to differ-
ences which were resolved only when a passer-by incidentally he knew all the three
languages – brought grapes for them and this satisfied each one of them. In Tabibs
and the Allopathic doctors and now it is upto them to make use of them or not.”
Ajmal Khan’s thirst for knowledge was unquenchable there. He also visited the
India office library which contained a treasure of knowledge in hand written manu-
scripts which are not to be found in India. He also visited the Oxford and Cambridge
Universities. His meeting with the famous orientalist, Prof. E.J. Brown proved to be
very interesting. Ajmal Khan was greatly impressed by the progress made in
England. During his visit to England he visited the hospitals and medical colleges.
It was during this visit that friendship was struck between Hakim Sahib and Dr.
M.A. Ansari, Dr. Ansari was house surgeon in very prestigious charry Cross Hospi-
tal. He introduced Dr. Stanley Boyd, a very senior surgeon in the hospital to Hm.
Ajmal Khan. Hakim Shaib was invited by Dr. Boyd, as an expert in the indigenous
systems of medicine, to his Clinical Surgery class where practical demonstration
was given to the medical students. Dr. Boyd was diagnosing the patient before the
students and also requested Hakim Sahib to diagnose him. After examining the
patient, Hakim Sahib declared that the patient had an ulcer in the upper part of the
intestines but Dr. Boyd held a different view. In his opinion there was a swelling in
the gall bladder of the patient and advised surgical operation. The operation, how-
ever, endorsed the Hakim Ajmal Khan opinion. Dr. Boyd congratulated Hakim
Ajmal Khan on his correct diagnosis and that too by simply feeling the pulse and
examining his urine.
On his way back from England, Ajmal Khan visited Paris, Berlin and several other
European cities and studied their systems of medicine in hospitals and medical
colleges.
Hakim Ajmal Khan visualized very early the need of use of modern medical
sciences and scientific research in Indian systems of Medicine instead of following
the old prescriptions and knowledge blindly. He set up a Majles Tehqiqat Ilami
(Research Committee ) on 2nd July 1926, comprising on best of experts available
on that point of time to have the Indian systems of medicine updated.
Hakim Ajmal Khan as author also contributed the valuable books which are still
considered as resource books in the field of teaching and research of Unani tib these
are:
He for the first time institutionalized the Indian systems of Medicine and estab-
lished on Ayurvadic and Unani Tibbiya College in Delhi with a degree course with
a integration of modern medical subjects like Anatomy and Physiology etc. with
intensive practical trainings in various practical labs and Hospital.
In view of extra ordinary services rendered by him prestigious physician Hm.
Ajmal Khan was honored with a very prestigious award. “Haziqul Mulk” by the
British Govt. in 1908, again in 1919 the British Govt. awarded “Qaiser Hind” gold
medal to Hm. Ajamal Khan.
But Hakim Ajmal Khan joined freedom struggle against British rule in India and
in protest he returned both the title “ “ and gold medal ( ) to Brit-
ish Govt. The people of India were having so much of respect and love to Hakim
Ajmal Khan that they bestowed the title of “ Masihul Mulk” to Hakim Ajmal in
1921 which he accepted.
Hakim Ajmal Khan having very much command on Arabic language and literature
that and academy ………………………………..in Damishq (Syria) had declared
honry member of this academy it is worthy to mention that since the starting of this
academy from 1919 the total seven Indian scholar have been the Hon,y member and
Hakim Ajmal Khan was the first Indian scholar to the member of this academy
As recognition of his memorable services in the field of health and Nation building.
The ministry of communication Govt. of India issued a commemorative stamp in
honor of Masihul Mulk Hm Ajmal Khan on 13th Feb. 1987.
There are people who accomplish several great feats in their lifetime. And there
are, whose life becomes a great feat in itself, But Ajmal Khan lived a life that was
both full of several great achievements and great national achievement in itself.
P.V. NARASIMHA RAO
Minister of Human Resource Development and Health Minister Govt. of India
New Delhi
41
Plasebo ve Tıpta Plasebo Etkisi
Biyokimyasal ve
Farmakolojik Bir Blöf mü?
Placebo and the Placebo Effect in Medicine
is it a Biochemical and Pharmacologic Bluff?
Nüket Örnek BÜKEN
Prof.Dr.Hacettepe Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Tıp Tarihi ve Etik Anabilim Dalı
e-mail:nuketbuken@hotmail.com
Özet
Bu konuşma ile kavram karışıklıkları bilimsel literatüre yansımış ve tıp tarihi
boyunca tartışmalı bir konu olma özelliğini sürdürmüş bir konudan, plasebodan söz
edeceğiz. Önce tıp tarihi açısından plasebo kavramına bakacağız, daha sonra
plasebo ve plasebo etkisini tanımlamaya çalışacağız. Plasebo ile ilgili olarak
yapılmış araştırmalardan örneklerle konuyu tartışmaya çalışacağız. Klinik ilaç
araştırmalarında plasebo, psikiyatride plasebo, plasebo kullanımının getirdiği etik
sorunlar, tamamlayıcı tıp yöntemlerinin (alternatif tıp yöntemlerinin) etkisi plasebo
ile açıklanabilir mi? gibi diğer tartışmalı konuları irdelemeye çalışacağız.
Summary
This speech will discuss the placebo, a subject that has been reflected in scientific
literature with its confusion of concepts and whose characteristics have been
discussed throughout medical history. First we will look at the concept of placebo
from the point of view of medical history, then we will attempt to define placebo
and the placebo effect. We will discuss the subject of the use of placebo with
research subjects. We will examine placebos in clinical drug trials, placebos in
psychiatry, the ethical problems that arise with placebo use, and topics for discus-
sion such as, can the placebo effect of holistic medicine methods (alternative medi-
cine methods) be explained?
Hakim Ajmal Khan: a Renowned Physician of
Indian Subcontinent
Anis Ahmad ANSARI
Prof(Retd), Department Of Kulliyat, Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College Aligarh
Muslim University Aligarh-202001-India
Summary
Masihul Mulk Hakim Ajmal Khan was the scion of family of physicians, he was
not only a genius physician but vigorously advocated the cause of upliftment of
Indian Systems of Medicine i.e. Unani Tibb and Ayurveda. Besides this the Ajmal
Khan was an acclaimed physician, a statesman of National status, a poet of great
sentiments, an orator and educationist at the same time Hm. Ajmal Khan was born
in Delhi on 17 Shawwal 1284 A.H. (1863 A.D.) in a very distinguished family of
physicians who came in India from Kashghar (Turkishi an) during the period of
Mughal King Babur.
As a physician Hakim Ajmal Khan enjoyed worldwide fame as a physician. He had
an absolute command over the Unani theory and practice. Besides this, his strong
will power and spiritual force too, played an important role in his miraculous
healing power for which he was famous. A well-known anecdote of curing a French
lady whose legs contracted due to spasms accompanied by acute pain in the stom-
ach, carried his fame far and wide. This incident occurred in Paris, where a Doctor,
who spoke in derogatory manner about the Unani system challenged Hakim Ajmal
Khan to diagnose the case of a lady patient where all attempts, including the X-ray,
failed to reveal the actual nature of the disease. Ajmal Khan questioned the lady
about her hobbies and what games she played. It was found that the women played
tennis and went riding. After a thoughtful pause Hakim Sahib produced a medicine
and asked the lady to take it in butter every morning. After about two weeks she was
perfectly cured, and this resulted in the Doctor’s acceptance of the superiority of the
Unani system. For Ajmal Khan, medicine was an indivisible whole, and his
approach towards its problems and their solutions was an integrated one. He had
recognized the merits of different medical systems and tried to take good things
from each one. In his review of Dr. Ghulam Jilani’s book which was written with
the object of brining Unani medicine and modern medicine closer to each other, he
expressed his views thus:
“I und erstand that this collection may serve as a useful medium for a dialogue
between Unani Tabibs and Allopathic doctors and reduce the prejudices which are
there due to mutual ignorance of each other’s system. Some people might have
heard the story of three persons who knew only their own languages and wanted to
purchase grapes. Each of them named grapes in his own language which others
could not understand. The ignorance of each other’s language led them to differ-
ences which were resolved only when a passer-by incidentally he knew all the three
languages – brought grapes for them and this satisfied each one of them. In Tabibs
and the Allopathic doctors and now it is upto them to make use of them or not.”
Ajmal Khan’s thirst for knowledge was unquenchable there. He also visited the
India office library which contained a treasure of knowledge in hand written manu-
scripts which are not to be found in India. He also visited the Oxford and Cambridge
Universities. His meeting with the famous orientalist, Prof. E.J. Brown proved to be
very interesting. Ajmal Khan was greatly impressed by the progress made in
England. During his visit to England he visited the hospitals and medical colleges.
It was during this visit that friendship was struck between Hakim Sahib and Dr.
M.A. Ansari, Dr. Ansari was house surgeon in very prestigious charry Cross Hospi-
tal. He introduced Dr. Stanley Boyd, a very senior surgeon in the hospital to Hm.
Ajmal Khan. Hakim Shaib was invited by Dr. Boyd, as an expert in the indigenous
systems of medicine, to his Clinical Surgery class where practical demonstration
was given to the medical students. Dr. Boyd was diagnosing the patient before the
students and also requested Hakim Sahib to diagnose him. After examining the
patient, Hakim Sahib declared that the patient had an ulcer in the upper part of the
intestines but Dr. Boyd held a different view. In his opinion there was a swelling in
the gall bladder of the patient and advised surgical operation. The operation, how-
ever, endorsed the Hakim Ajmal Khan opinion. Dr. Boyd congratulated Hakim
Ajmal Khan on his correct diagnosis and that too by simply feeling the pulse and
examining his urine.
On his way back from England, Ajmal Khan visited Paris, Berlin and several other
European cities and studied their systems of medicine in hospitals and medical
colleges.
Hakim Ajmal Khan visualized very early the need of use of modern medical
sciences and scientific research in Indian systems of Medicine instead of following
the old prescriptions and knowledge blindly. He set up a Majles Tehqiqat Ilami
(Research Committee ) on 2nd July 1926, comprising on best of experts available
on that point of time to have the Indian systems of medicine updated.
Hakim Ajmal Khan as author also contributed the valuable books which are still
considered as resource books in the field of teaching and research of Unani tib these
are:
He for the first time institutionalized the Indian systems of Medicine and estab-
lished on Ayurvadic and Unani Tibbiya College in Delhi with a degree course with
a integration of modern medical subjects like Anatomy and Physiology etc. with
intensive practical trainings in various practical labs and Hospital.
In view of extra ordinary services rendered by him prestigious physician Hm.
Ajmal Khan was honored with a very prestigious award. “Haziqul Mulk” by the
British Govt. in 1908, again in 1919 the British Govt. awarded “Qaiser Hind” gold
medal to Hm. Ajamal Khan.
But Hakim Ajmal Khan joined freedom struggle against British rule in India and
in protest he returned both the title “ “ and gold medal ( ) to Brit-
ish Govt. The people of India were having so much of respect and love to Hakim
Ajmal Khan that they bestowed the title of “ Masihul Mulk” to Hakim Ajmal in
1921 which he accepted.
Hakim Ajmal Khan having very much command on Arabic language and literature
that and academy ………………………………..in Damishq (Syria) had declared
honry member of this academy it is worthy to mention that since the starting of this
academy from 1919 the total seven Indian scholar have been the Hon,y member and
Hakim Ajmal Khan was the first Indian scholar to the member of this academy
As recognition of his memorable services in the field of health and Nation building.
The ministry of communication Govt. of India issued a commemorative stamp in
honor of Masihul Mulk Hm Ajmal Khan on 13th Feb. 1987.
There are people who accomplish several great feats in their lifetime. And there
are, whose life becomes a great feat in itself, But Ajmal Khan lived a life that was
both full of several great achievements and great national achievement in itself.
P.V. NARASIMHA RAO
Minister of Human Resource Development and Health Minister Govt. of India
New Delhi
42
B a y e z i t ' t e k i D i ş ç i l i k O k u l u
B i n a s ı
The Dentistry School in Bayezit
Gönül CANTAY*
*Prof.Dr.Mimar Sinan Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Sanat Tarihi
Bölümü Emekli Öğretim Üyesi
e-mail:g.cantay@hotmail.com
Özet
Bildiri içeriğinde Dişçilik Okulu Eczacılık Okulu ile birlikte Kadırga'daki
Mülkî Tıbbiyeden boşalan ahşap binada kurulmuş. 1933 Üniversite Reformuna
kadar eczacılık ve dişçilik okulları bir arada bulunmuştur. Bu süreçte binadaki
kullanım mekânı yetersizliği yaşanan okullar müdür Server Hilmi bey'in gayreti-
yle, Kadırga'daki ahşap binasından Bayezit'teki Jandarma Komutanlığı Binasına
1925 yılında taşınmış, eski ancak kârgir yapının birinci katında Dişçilik Okulu,
ikinci katında ise Eczacılık okulu çalışmalarını sürdürmüştür. Bayezit'teki Dişçilik
Okulu'nun binası bulunduğu alandaki yapılaşmasıyla incelenerek tanımlanacaktır.
Summary
The Dentistry School were founded together with pharmacy school in a timber
building which had been used for Medicine School in Kadırga. The pharmacy and
the dentistry schools had been together until the university reform of 1933. In this
process because of lacking space, these two schools were moved into a stone build-
ing - used as gendarme commander headquarters- in Bayezit and in the first floor
the Dentistry School and in the second floor the Pharmacy School had taken place.
In this paper the Dentistry School's building in Bayezit will be examined and inden-
tified.
Hakim Ajmal Khan: a Renowned Physician of
Indian Subcontinent
Anis Ahmad ANSARI
Prof(Retd), Department Of Kulliyat, Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College Aligarh
Muslim University Aligarh-202001-India
Summary
Masihul Mulk Hakim Ajmal Khan was the scion of family of physicians, he was
not only a genius physician but vigorously advocated the cause of upliftment of
Indian Systems of Medicine i.e. Unani Tibb and Ayurveda. Besides this the Ajmal
Khan was an acclaimed physician, a statesman of National status, a poet of great
sentiments, an orator and educationist at the same time Hm. Ajmal Khan was born
in Delhi on 17 Shawwal 1284 A.H. (1863 A.D.) in a very distinguished family of
physicians who came in India from Kashghar (Turkishi an) during the period of
Mughal King Babur.
As a physician Hakim Ajmal Khan enjoyed worldwide fame as a physician. He had
an absolute command over the Unani theory and practice. Besides this, his strong
will power and spiritual force too, played an important role in his miraculous
healing power for which he was famous. A well-known anecdote of curing a French
lady whose legs contracted due to spasms accompanied by acute pain in the stom-
ach, carried his fame far and wide. This incident occurred in Paris, where a Doctor,
who spoke in derogatory manner about the Unani system challenged Hakim Ajmal
Khan to diagnose the case of a lady patient where all attempts, including the X-ray,
failed to reveal the actual nature of the disease. Ajmal Khan questioned the lady
about her hobbies and what games she played. It was found that the women played
tennis and went riding. After a thoughtful pause Hakim Sahib produced a medicine
and asked the lady to take it in butter every morning. After about two weeks she was
perfectly cured, and this resulted in the Doctor’s acceptance of the superiority of the
Unani system. For Ajmal Khan, medicine was an indivisible whole, and his
approach towards its problems and their solutions was an integrated one. He had
recognized the merits of different medical systems and tried to take good things
from each one. In his review of Dr. Ghulam Jilani’s book which was written with
the object of brining Unani medicine and modern medicine closer to each other, he
expressed his views thus:
“I und erstand that this collection may serve as a useful medium for a dialogue
between Unani Tabibs and Allopathic doctors and reduce the prejudices which are
there due to mutual ignorance of each other’s system. Some people might have
heard the story of three persons who knew only their own languages and wanted to
purchase grapes. Each of them named grapes in his own language which others
could not understand. The ignorance of each other’s language led them to differ-
ences which were resolved only when a passer-by incidentally he knew all the three
languages – brought grapes for them and this satisfied each one of them. In Tabibs
and the Allopathic doctors and now it is upto them to make use of them or not.”
Ajmal Khan’s thirst for knowledge was unquenchable there. He also visited the
India office library which contained a treasure of knowledge in hand written manu-
scripts which are not to be found in India. He also visited the Oxford and Cambridge
Universities. His meeting with the famous orientalist, Prof. E.J. Brown proved to be
very interesting. Ajmal Khan was greatly impressed by the progress made in
England. During his visit to England he visited the hospitals and medical colleges.
It was during this visit that friendship was struck between Hakim Sahib and Dr.
M.A. Ansari, Dr. Ansari was house surgeon in very prestigious charry Cross Hospi-
tal. He introduced Dr. Stanley Boyd, a very senior surgeon in the hospital to Hm.
Ajmal Khan. Hakim Shaib was invited by Dr. Boyd, as an expert in the indigenous
systems of medicine, to his Clinical Surgery class where practical demonstration
was given to the medical students. Dr. Boyd was diagnosing the patient before the
students and also requested Hakim Sahib to diagnose him. After examining the
patient, Hakim Sahib declared that the patient had an ulcer in the upper part of the
intestines but Dr. Boyd held a different view. In his opinion there was a swelling in
the gall bladder of the patient and advised surgical operation. The operation, how-
ever, endorsed the Hakim Ajmal Khan opinion. Dr. Boyd congratulated Hakim
Ajmal Khan on his correct diagnosis and that too by simply feeling the pulse and
examining his urine.
On his way back from England, Ajmal Khan visited Paris, Berlin and several other
European cities and studied their systems of medicine in hospitals and medical
colleges.
Hakim Ajmal Khan visualized very early the need of use of modern medical
sciences and scientific research in Indian systems of Medicine instead of following
the old prescriptions and knowledge blindly. He set up a Majles Tehqiqat Ilami
(Research Committee ) on 2nd July 1926, comprising on best of experts available
on that point of time to have the Indian systems of medicine updated.
Hakim Ajmal Khan as author also contributed the valuable books which are still
considered as resource books in the field of teaching and research of Unani tib these
are:
He for the first time institutionalized the Indian systems of Medicine and estab-
lished on Ayurvadic and Unani Tibbiya College in Delhi with a degree course with
a integration of modern medical subjects like Anatomy and Physiology etc. with
intensive practical trainings in various practical labs and Hospital.
In view of extra ordinary services rendered by him prestigious physician Hm.
Ajmal Khan was honored with a very prestigious award. “Haziqul Mulk” by the
British Govt. in 1908, again in 1919 the British Govt. awarded “Qaiser Hind” gold
medal to Hm. Ajamal Khan.
But Hakim Ajmal Khan joined freedom struggle against British rule in India and
in protest he returned both the title “ “ and gold medal ( ) to Brit-
ish Govt. The people of India were having so much of respect and love to Hakim
Ajmal Khan that they bestowed the title of “ Masihul Mulk” to Hakim Ajmal in
1921 which he accepted.
Hakim Ajmal Khan having very much command on Arabic language and literature
that and academy ………………………………..in Damishq (Syria) had declared
honry member of this academy it is worthy to mention that since the starting of this
academy from 1919 the total seven Indian scholar have been the Hon,y member and
Hakim Ajmal Khan was the first Indian scholar to the member of this academy
As recognition of his memorable services in the field of health and Nation building.
The ministry of communication Govt. of India issued a commemorative stamp in
honor of Masihul Mulk Hm Ajmal Khan on 13th Feb. 1987.
There are people who accomplish several great feats in their lifetime. And there
are, whose life becomes a great feat in itself, But Ajmal Khan lived a life that was
both full of several great achievements and great national achievement in itself.
P.V. NARASIMHA RAO
Minister of Human Resource Development and Health Minister Govt. of India
New Delhi
43
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