The Bukhtishu physicians served the caliphs for six generations: one was sentenced to death, one died in exile, and one great-grandson was disinherited by his stepfather

The Bukhtishu family were Nestorian Christians of Persian descent, physicians from the hospital at Jundishapur. In 765 the caliph al-Mansur summoned Jurjis ibn Bukhtishu to Baghdad. His son Bukhtishu became chief physician to Harun al-Rashid in 787. Jibril, the grandson, became Harun's private physician in 805. During Harun's last illness at Tus, Jibril spoke too candidly. A bishop turned the caliph further against him, and he was condemned to death. The vizier al-Fadl ibn al-Rabi stopped the execution. Harun's son al-Amin reappointed him. When al-Ma'mun overthrew al-Amin, Jibril was imprisoned until 817. He fell from favour again and was replaced by his son-in-law. In 827 al-Ma'mun fell ill, recalled him and returned his confiscated property. Jibril died the next year. His son Bukhtishu was banished to Jundishapur by al-Wathiq, restored by al-Mutawakkil, lived in style that rivalled the caliph's, and was banished again. He died in exile in 870, in Bahrain^†. His grandson Ubaydullah, a finance official, died and the caliph al-Muqtadir confiscated his property. Ubaydullah's widow married a physician. When she died, the stepfather disinherited her son Jibril, who was left penniless. Jibril went to Baghdad, studied medicine, served the Buyid ruler Adud al-Dawla, and died at Mayyafariqin in 1006, aged 85.