Chrysippus and the First Known Description of Cataract Surgery.

Juliusz Grzybowski,Andrzej Grzybowski

doi:10.3390/medicines7060034

Juliusz Grzybowski, Andrzej Grzybowski

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines7060034

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Abstract

Although the origin of cataract surgery is unknown, the earliest identified mention of cataract surgery comes from Chrysippus in the 3rd century B.C.E. This historical review analyses this first description of cataract surgery from both philosophical and linguistic perspectives, within the original context in which early cataract surgeries were performed, as well as within the context of contemporary medical knowledge.

Highlights

The place and time in which cataract surgery originated are uncertain
The aim of this study is to analyse the first mention of cataract surgery from both philosophical and linguistic perspectives within the original context in which early cataract surgeries were performed, as well as within the context of contemporary medical knowledge
In his commentary on Aristotle’s “Categories”, dating from the 6th century C.E., Simplicius of Cilicia included a description of cataract surgery written by Chrysippus, a Greek Stoic philosopher who lived in the 3rd century B.C.E. (Figure 1) Both the fragment included in the text by Simplicius and the incompletely preserved text by Chrysippus examine the categories of privation and possession

Summary

Introduction

The place and time in which cataract surgery originated are uncertain. It is often stated that the earliest description of cataract surgery comes from Sushruta, who probably lived in the 6th centuryB.C.E. The place and time in which cataract surgery originated are uncertain. It is often stated that the earliest description of cataract surgery comes from Sushruta, who probably lived in the 6th century. B.C.E. the earliest surviving manuscripts of his work, “Sushruta Samhita: Uttara Tantra”. Date from the Common Era [1]. The earliest available description of cataract surgery comes from Chrysippus and was written in the 3rd century B.C.E. Interestingly, Chrysippus was known as a philosopher rather than as a physician. The aim of this study is to analyse the first mention of cataract surgery from both philosophical and linguistic perspectives within the original context in which early cataract surgeries were performed, as well as within the context of contemporary medical knowledge

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