Wybrane choroby dnia codziennego w ujęciu Pawła z Eginy i ich recepcja w tradycji orientalnej
Selected Everyday Diseases in the Work of Paul of Aegina and Their Reception in the Oriental Tradition

Summary/Abstract: The article examines selected everyday diseases described by Paul of Aegina (7th century) in his Epitome medicae, with particular attention to their practical treatment within the context of late Byzantine medicine. Three groups of conditions are discussed: eye diseases (ophthalmía and hypóchyma), tropical parasitic infections (dracunculus medinensis), and musculoskeletal injuries (fractures and dislocations). Through these examples, the study highlights the pragmatic nature of Paul’s medical practice, which ranges from simple household remedies to complex surgical interventions. The second part of the article focuses on the reception of Paul’s work in the Syriac and Arabic medical traditions, especially in the writings of Bar Bahlūl, Ḥunayn ibn Isḥāq, al-Rāzī, and Qusṭā ibn Lūqā. This comparative perspective demonstrates how late antique Greek medical knowledge was transmitted, adapted, and further developed within the Islamic world. The article underscores Paul of Aegina’s role as a key intermediary in the transfer of medical learning from Greek to Syriac and Arabic traditions and as a physician firmly rooted in the realities of everyday clinical practice.

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