Ibn Abi al-Ashʿath

Ibn Abi al-Ashʿath (أحمد بن محمد بن محمد بن أبي الأشعث; died 975 CE) was a Persian physician of medieval Islam. He wrote many commentaries on Galen's works.

He died in Mosul, Iraq.

Physiology
Ahmad ibn Abi al-Ash'ath described the physiology of the stomach in a live lion in his book al-Quadi wa al-muqtadi. He wrote:"When food enters the stomach, especially when it is plentiful, the stomach dilates and its layers get stretched...onlookers thought the stomach was rather small, so I proceeded to pour jug after jug in its throat…the inner layer of the distended stomach became as smooth as the external peritoneal layer. I then cut open the stomach and let the water out. The stomach shrank and I could see the pylorus…"Ahmad ibn Abi al-Ash'ath observed the physiology of the stomach in a live lion in 959. This description preceded William Beaumont by almost 900 years, making Ahmad ibn al-Ash'ath the first person to initiate experimental events in gastric physiology.

Works
His works include:
 * الأدوية المفردة
 * الحيوان
 * العلم الالهي
 * الجدري و الحصبة و الحميقاء
 * السرسام و البرسام و مداواتهما
 * القولونج و أسبابه و مداواته
 * البرص و البهق
 * الصريح
 * الاستسقاء
 * ظهور الدم
 * الماليخوليا
 * تركيب الأدوية
 * أمراض المعدة و مداواتها