Abstract
FINDINGS OF FOLK MEDICINE IN TERCEME-İ AYNÜ'L-HAYAT
Several methods have been used throughout the history of humanity on the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Human, who previously see all the negativity of physical, mental and social as a supernatural event, firstl sought remedy on sorcerers. These people, who were also known as healers, have played an important role in the detection and treatment of disease. Later, mankind who discovered new treatment methods through trial-and-error, has laid the foundation of modern medicine.
Folk medicine is an institution that is away from scientific medicine and composed entirely of traditional and magical treatment methods. The folk medicine texts that are used for the treaatment of people as illogical practice and the text that is on the weight of that application on the folk medicine are separated from the medical texts that depend on the scientific medicine understanding that were written of that time.
In this study, some applications will be discussed that are within the field of folk medicine and a work named ‘ Tercemi-i Aynül Hayat’, which is a work of Bali Efendi ( 980/1572-73 ) who was one of 16th century Ottoman authors/translators. Although many excerpts and experiences were transferred in Tercemi-i Aynül Hayat, it would not be wrong to name this work as a folk medicine book where more traditional and magical practices are found. While some of these applications are used for therapeutic purposes, some were used out of treatment. The therapeutic applications consist of treatment methods that are prepared from animal products, plants and human organs. The applications that were not for treatment purposes consist of subjects related with protector against evil, love and affection enhancer, and dominate in war and bilateral relations.
Keywords
Historical Medical Texts, Terceme-i Aynü'l-Hayat, folk medicine, superstitious beliefs, magical prac
