The Book of Foods and Medicines (02 volumes)

The book describes the benefit and harm derived from the different
foods, pointing out the extent to which bodies and the different
tempers need food systems appropriate to the nature of the human
body and character so as to guarantee healthy nutrition. In this
connection, Ishaq Ibn Sulaiman stresses the need for a rational
approach and scientific experiments to avoid the occult aspects of
astrology. This shows the rational character of his theoretical
premises and the scientific nature of his knowledge baselines. The
contents of his book show his deep awareness of the fundamentals
of scientific thought in the areas of healthy foods and effective
medicines. He did not only stop at explaining the theories of
prominent medical scholars as extolled in the studies of Hippocrates,
Galinus and Al Kindi. Neither did he make do with listing glossaries
of medical terms or medical studies, for he both criticised and
developed medical science. For this reason, students of medical
history consider him as one of the most prominent founders of the
Kairouan medical school. Indeed, he was one who believed in the
relative nature of treatments and interdependence between the
biological and mental states, and the plurality of tempers, the very
things that concern medicine today in the language of care and
alternative medicine.