Medicine in the Middle Ages: Extracts from "Le Moyen Age Medical" by Dr. Edmond Dupouy; translated by T. C. MinorDupouy, Edmond
History
Medicine in the Middle Ages: Extracts from "Le Moyen Age Medical" by Dr. Edmond Dupouy; translated by T. C. Minor
Dupouy, Edmond
Medicine, Medieval
“D’un ennemi voulez vous defaire?
Ne cherchez pas d’assasins
Donnez lui deux medecins,
Et qui’ils soient d’avis contrarie.”
This professional jealousy is always more apparent than real. Aside
from the rivalry for public patronage physicians are a very social
class of men, as witness their many festive meetings. We banquet in
honor of St. Luke the physician, and St. Come, after each thesis,
at anniversaries, at the election of the Dean, and on many other
occasions. It is these co-fraternal meetings at which are reinagurated
the old feelings of good-fellowship; our little quarrels only serve
to discipline the medical body and to increase the grandeur of the
Faculty. It is the constant rubbing of surfaces that makes the true
professional metal glitter.
When we hear new doctors, young graduates, swear the Hippocratic oath,
we do not forget that the principal articles of the statute prescribe
the cultivation of friendships, respect for the older members of the
profession, benevolence to the young beginners, and the preservation
of professional decency and kindness. It may be insisted that banquets
are not to be considered as medical assemblages, for there they laugh
long and loud, and drink many a bumper of rich Burgundy; making joyous
discourse; holding to the famous compliment of Moliere:
Salus, honor et argentum
Atque bonum appetitum.
We know to-day many of the truthful precepts of the School of Salerno
and their bearing on the medical records of the middle ages. Then as
now the doctor had the ever increasing ingratitude of the patient (_ad
proccarendam oegrorum ingratitudinem_).
“The disciple of Hippocrates meeteth often treatment rude,
The payment of his trouble is base ingratitude.
When the patient is in grievous pain the time is opportune
For a keen, sharp-witted doctor to make a good fortune.
Let him profit by the sufferer’s aches and gather in the money,
For the ant gets winter provender and the summer bee its honey.”
Our ancient friends had no pity for charlatans, however. They
rightfully abused all medical impostors, as we read in the precepts of
Salerno’s school:
“Il n’est par d’ignorant, de chartatan stupide,
D’histron imposteur, ou de Juif fourbe avide,
De sorciere crasseuse ou de barbier bavard,
De faussiare inpudent, ou de moine cafard,
De marchand de savon, ou de avengle oculiste,
De baigneur imbecile, ou d’absurde alchimiste,
Pas d’heretique impur qui ne se targue, enfin,
Du beau titre, du nom sacre de medecin.”
The investigation of medical science was far from being an honor to
the middle ages. The best of the profession was hidden in the doctoral
sanctuary, enveloped in those mysteries which are never penetrated by
the profane and only known to the initiated.
The recommendations as to the secrets of our art are addressed to all
young doctors in that famous epilogue commencing:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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