title: Razi's report about seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) from the 10th century AD.
abstract: Seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is considered a disease of the postindustrial revolution era. Clinical reports of patients are readily available from the 19th century starting with John Bostock's description of his own summer symptoms. Also patients with "rose catarrh' are described in the 16th and 17th century. Although asthma is well described by Maimonides, clear descriptions of diagnosis, prevention and treatment of hay fever are rare in the first millennium. This report by Razi (prior to 925 AD) is perhaps the earliest such report yet. It is contained in a compendium written by Ibn Sharabeyun ben Ibrahim in the 13th or 14th century AD. The volume also contains work by Avicenna (Abo Ali-Sina; a friend of Razi) and other contemporary writers. Some of the treatments suggested in this early report may not be so acceptable to modern sufferers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University College London Medical School, UK.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bungy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mossawi
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nojoumi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brostoff
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000266:history / Q000628:therapy; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008374:Manuscripts, Medical as Topic / Q000266:history; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000266:history* / Q000628:therapy