Al-Hassan, Ahmad Y.
Studies in al-Kimya'

Critical Issues in Latin and Arabic Alchemy and Chemistry.

The collected thoughts and essays on eight contentious issues are based on extensive research into Arabic manuscripts and Latin literature. The results of this research are challenging. They prove the Arabic origin of the "Summa Perfectionis" and the other Geber Latin works. Thus the prevailing conjectures about assumed Latin authors are refuted on the basis of ample evidence. The book discusses the Arabic original of "Liber de compositione alchimiae" that was the first treatise on alchemy to appear in the West. It brings into light Jabir's book of recipes on the colouring of glass and his other chemical industrial recipes. Another essay discusses potassium nitrate and nitric acid in Arabic and Latin sources. Both were known before the 13th century. Explosive gunpowder with the ideal formula and portable cannon were known in Arabic military treatises in the 13th century. A further essay is given on the distillation of wine and alcohol since the 8th century. The final essay is on the composition of Damascus steel. X,320 Seiten mit 27 Abb. und 9 Tab., broschiert (Texte und Studien zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte; Band 4/Olms Verlag 2009)