Corrections to the
Syrian Book of Medicines
Adam Tate, 2023

The Syrian "Book of Medicine" (properly called "Syrian Anatomy, Pathology and Therapeutics") was translated by Wallis Budge and printed in 1913. Wallis Budge was primarily an Egyptologist and Orientalist, and much of his writings and translations were esoteric in nature such as his translation of the "Egyptian Book of the Dead".

He wrote several books on Medicine such as "The Divine Origin of the Craft of the Herbalist", and "Herb Doctors and Physicians of the Ancient World". However these works on medicine were not clinically based, but were rather historical documents. The Syrian "Book of Medicine", on the other hand, was an ancient book of Medical Theory and Formulas, translated from a Syrian Manuscript, and was therefore a more specialised translation compared to what he was accustomed to.
It is not surprising, then, that he made several mistranslations or incorrect identifation a medicines.

This text is a resource of many wonderful formulas and is a text worth studying. So here is the correction of medicine names I believe to be incorrect or improperly identified in the text, based on the formulas they are used in. This is not from re-tranlsating the traditional text.
Amlag : Emblic Myrobalan
Belilke : Belleric Myrobalan
Dornagh / Dronag : Doronicum
Ekolonévopiov (Venus's hair) : Maidenhair
Jackal Fat : Opopanax
Kulanghan : Galangal
Lichen : Lacca
Mazrion : Mezereon
Purple βαλαύστιον : Pomegranate flower
Sea Gems : Sealed Earth
Zorbadh : Zedoary / Zerumbet

Atenasya : Athanasia (formula)
Prioz / Pilonya : Philonium (formula)
Teryake : Theriac (formula)

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