The Women of Salerno

Paper Summary:

Medicine in medieval Europe benefited from Greek, Arabic, Hebrew and Latin influences. Because of geographical and other favorable conditions, many of these cultural contributions synergized to form the Medical School at Salerno around 900 AD. This paper shows that, somewhat uncharacteristically, women physicians played a part in the advances that came from this school. The women physicians of Salerno contributed to a textbook that gained wide acceptance and distribution throughout Europe. The textbook called "De Passionibus Mulierium" was first published about 1100 AD and was a prominent text until a significant revision by Ambrose Pare's assistant in the early 1600's. The paper shows that the advances first taught and implemented by the women of Salerno are an interesting and important part of our surgical heritage.

Paper Outline:
Keywords
Abstract
Introduction: the Medical School at Salerno
The Women of Salerno
Medical Certification in Southern Italy
Anatomic Dissections at the School of Salerno
Surgical Contributions
References

From the Paper:

"The anatomy of the reproductive organs was only known from animal dissections and written descriptions (without pictures) of Islamic texts. It was to the study of the female reproductive system that the women physicians of Salerno made vital contributions, since women doctors had greater access to female patients than did their male counterparts. In her book, Trotula writes that she was called to the practice of medicine because she had too often seen the suffering of women who were ashamed to share their maladies with a male doctor. [10] A good number of the sixty-three chapters of Trotula Major are devoted to the problems of conception, pregnancy, embryonic development and childbirth."

More papers on The Women of Salerno:

• Analytical Essay # 64234 : "The Women of Brewster Place"
• Analytical Essay # 62223 : "The Women of the Odyssey"
• Essay # 53746 : "The Women of the French Revolution"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: