He was the eighth of the celebrated physicians, whose series is as follows: (1) Asqlabios the first, (2) Ghorus, (3) Sapûs, (4) Parmânidos, (5) Aflatûn, (6) Asqlabios the second, (7) Boqrât, (8) Jâlinus, who is the seal of the great physicians, because no succeeding ones were able to attain his celebrity. He was born after the mission of the Messiah, and wrote four hundred large and small books on the science of medicine, sparing no trouble to elucidate every difficulty. The chief cause of his proficiency in this science was his own father, who spent large sums of money on the education of his son, and brought distinguished physicians from remote places to instruct him.
It is said that Jâlinus was born in the country of Saba in a place called Fara’as, which he left for the purpose of studying medicine in Atheniah, Romia and Eskandariah. From the society of geometricians, grammarians, and rhetoricians, he learnt geometry, grammar, and rhetoric. He met a woman perfectly skilled in medicine, but especially in the cure of diseases incident to females, and through her he became acquainted with a number of simples, which cost little, but are of great use. After that he travelled to Egypt, and remained there some time for the purpose of collecting officinal plants, but when he was about to return to his own country, he expired in the town of Farmâ, on the shore of the Great Sea. He was a man of brown complexion, of beautiful countenance, with broad shoulders, open chest, and long fingers. He was fond of listening to songs and frequenting musical entertainments; he was, nevertheless, very studious, and also travelled much. He never gave pain to his friends. He dressed in clean garments, used perfumes, mixed in the society of princes and high personages, but was silent in their assemblies.
In some books it is recorded that Jâlinus was a courageous and rich physician, looked upon with awe by everybody, and living in the province of Maqdoniah, in the country of Yonân [Greece]. The king of those parts, who was called Banqâs, distinguished Jâlinus by royal favours, and constantly praised him. At that time there was also a king of the Maghrab, named Bâz, who was obeyed by all the kings of those regions. One of his wives happening to be attacked by leprosy, and there being no skilled physician in that country, the king confided his difficulty to one of the wazirs, who gave him the following reply: ‘In the country of Banqâs there is a physician who is very celebrated, and it will be necessary to send to the king a letter to this effect: “Despatch Jâlinus to the foot of my exalted throne immediately on the receipt of this letter, or else be prepared to see thy kingdom devastated.”’ Bâz approved of the advice of his wazir, and sent the just-mentioned letter, which Banqâs perused, showed it to Jâlinus, and said: ‘I prefer to resist the king rather than be separated from you; I am ready to sacrifice my very life for you, and shall prepare myself for war.’ But as Jâlinus was not willing to cause bloodshed, and averred that he would rather comply with the demand, Banqâs wrote the following reply: ‘Although the princes of Yonân obey King Bâz, they are the servants of physicians, because the latter are in reality the masters of our bodies; and as Jâlinus is the chief of them, we request your majesty to send him back to us as soon as his services can be dispensed with at your court, because it would be very hard for us to be deprived of his company.’ This letter Jâlinus himself took charge of, and travelled to the country of King Bâz, whom he found to be of a tyrannical and inhuman disposition. For some time he made his appearance at the royal palace every morning and evening, but was unable to obtain an audience. He was, however, by royal command lodged in the quarters of the hunters, where he could obtain no other food but game. After the expiration of one month, he was taken to the king and gruffly interrogated by the interpreter concerning his trade. Jâlinus replied: ‘My business is to preserve health, and to remove disease before it has taken root.’ The king replied: ‘In my harem there is a patient whose black complexion has become white. Can you restore it to its former hue?’
Jâlinus: There are some diseases, the manifestation, duration and disappearance whereof are subject to fixed periods of time. I desire to know when this distemper has begun to manifest itself.
King: It has been developing itself during one year, has continued one year, and now it is the third year since its appearance.
Jâlinus: I have heard that your majesty deprives anyone of sight who ventures to look at a lady of the royal harem, but I cannot cure this disease without seeing the person afflicted thereby.
King: Such is my custom, and being aware of it, you may begin your treatment.
Jâlinus: There is a way of looking at the disease without seeing the lady.
King (astonished): If you can do what you say, we shall acknowledge your skill.
Jâlinus (having caused the sick lady to be placed in his rear, and seen the face in a mirror which he held in his hand): I have looked at the complexion of the lady; she may be cured.
The king, being pleased with this information, ordered a loaf from his table to be given daily to Jâlinus, who then treated the malady, till it completely disappeared. King Bâz was so delighted by this success, that he ordered Jâlinus to be always present at the royal table, where the physician had occasion to warn his majesty of the perilous nature of the heavy dishes consumed at the meals. This circumstance, however, induced the king to say to one of his courtiers: ‘I have separated this man from his friends and companions, and now he interposes himself between me and my favourite dishes; but I shall eat what I like, despite of his admonitions.’ Another courtier repeated these words to Jâlinus, and advised him not to endanger his life by displeasing the king. He took the hint, retired from the table of the king, and contented himself with the loaf daily furnished to him therefrom [as narrated above]. The king spent a few months in the country hunting, and never thought of Jâlinus until his return, when he met him again at table. Observing a heavy dish, of which his majesty was about to partake, the physician could not restrain himself from giving his opinion. The king then asked: ‘What malady will I get if I persist in this diet?’ Jâlinus replied: ‘The leprosy.’ Hearing these words, the king immediately stretched forth his hand, eating up all the food that was left, and said: ‘Despite of your advice, I have eaten as much as I could.’ Jâlinus replied: ‘I am under many obligations to your majesty, some of which I shall discharge by the composition of a work on the symptoms perceptible in the human body ere the disease itself appears, and indicating its approach one, two, or even three years in advance. This treatise your majesty is to preserve, and to remember me after my death.’ After having obtained permission, Jâlinus composed a work in which he described the causes of various maladies, together with the times of their beginning, end, or confirmation. He also registered and classified the diseases into curable and incurable ones, as well as into such as may be easily cured, and into such as are dangerous, and bring on death slowly or quickly. As he was convinced that the king would, on account of his insalubrious diet, be attacked by leprosy, he also predicted in the said book that, after the expiration of one year, his majesty would lose his sexual appetite, would become subject to languor and somnolency, entailing heaviness of all his limbs, but that if, in spite of all these symptoms, the king were to change his diet, he might yet escape from the disease; in the contrary case, however, the hair of his eyebrows and his nails would fall off; and also his sight would become weak after the expiration of one year. In this stage, however, a cure was yet possible, if the proper remedies were applied; but if his majesty remained careless, the disease would become incurable.
After completing the work, Jâlinus gave it to be preserved in the royal treasury, and having blackened all his limbs, fled to the country of Yonân, where he took up his residence in a town, under the jurisdiction of Banqâs. Some time afterwards Bâz was informed of the escape of Jâlinus, and was rather pleased, because the admonitions of the physician had made him uneasy. In course of time, however, the symptoms of leprosy began to manifest themselves as Jâlinus had predicted. When the king had lost his eyebrows and nails, he left the throne and departed secretly to Maqdoniah, where he at last found Jâlinus, who was engaged in teaching. Bâz requested a secret interview and informed him of his case, whereon the physician took him to his own house, and treated him in such a manner, that within the space of one year the hair of the king began to grow, and during the second he was not only perfectly cured, but had also lost his bad manners, and acquired the polish of the Yonânis [Greek].
When the king had entirely recovered his health, Jâlinus gave him his horse with one of his disciples for a companion, and sent him back to his own country. When Bâz arrived in his capital he was received with joy by his subjects, and his eldest son, who had administered the government during his absence, again yielded it to him. On that occasion the king despatched innumerable rich gifts—jewels, horses, and beautiful female slaves—to Jâlinus, whose disciple he likewise rewarded handsomely. He sent also letters with presents to King Banqâs, assured him of his friendship, and requested him to induce Jâlinus to return to his native country. The physician complied, and lived in great intimacy with King Banqâs, until the news reached him that Bâz had fallen sick; accordingly they travelled together to his capital, but when they reached it, they found that he had again recovered from his indisposition. He came out to meet them with a solemn procession and his whole court, at which they remained one month. Before they departed, arrangements were made to place one of the sons of Bâz under the tuition of Jâlinus, and also to betroth him to a daughter of Banqâs, to whom Banqâs ceded a portion of his kingdom. The object of these details was to convince those who pursue knowledge, that their efforts must ultimately be crowned with perfect success.
The following are some of the sayings of Jâlinus: ‘He would be a wise man who could possess a friend, watching every day his acts, and admonishing him to continue the good, but to abandon the bad ones.—It suffices a man, if he be wise enough, to discern the right from the wrong way, truth from falsehood, and happiness from misery.—The most acceptable gift is that which worthy recipients obtain without asking for it.—A man cannot act for his own welfare before he is acquainted with his own mind, because people are generally so biased by egotism that cowards imagine themselves to be valorous, and misers to be liberal, thinking their intellect to be perfect, whereas it is often merely the index of their folly.—Whoever is anxious for a good name is deserving of praise.—Always try to conciliate an enemy, although you may have great confidence in your own ability to subdue him.—He is praiseworthy who subdues wrath by meekness.’