[166] "Constat permulta S. Hildegardi nota jam fuisse, quae caeteri medii aevi scriptores nescierunt, quaeque sagaces demum recentiorum temporum indagatores reperierunt ac tamquam nova ventitarunt." Ibid. Dr. Karl Jessen, in his thoughtful _Botanik der Gegenwart und Vorzeit in Culturhistorischer Entwickelung_, p. 123, Leipzig, 1864, expresses himself on the extraordinary medical knowledge of the abbess of Bingen as follows: "Wer deutsche Volkarznei studieren will, der studiere Hildegard und er wird Respect davor bekommen." [167] _Compendio Storico della Scuola Anatomica di Bologna_, p. 358, by Michele Medici, Bologna, 1857, and _Notizie degli Scrittori Bolognesi_, Tom. VI, p. 113, by Giovanni Fantuzzi, Bologna, 1788. Certain writers tell us of another woman who distinguished herself in anatomy in the early part of the fourteenth century. Her name was Alessandra Giliani, who is said to have been a pupil and an assistant of the celebrated Mondino, father of modern anatomy. In addition to possessing great skill in dissection, she is reputed to have devised a means of drawing the blood from the veins and arteries--even the most minute--and then filling them with variously colored liquids which quickly solidified. By this means, we are told, she was able to exhibit the circulatory system in all its details and complexity, and to have always on hand, for purposes of instruction, a model that was absolutely true to nature. How much truth there may be in these statements regarding a young girl, who was only nineteen when she died, is difficult to determine. Medici, in concluding his account of her and referring to the inscription on her tomb, which seems to authenticate all the claims made for her, expresses himself as follows: "In quoting this document, I do not intend that my readers shall accord to it a credence that I myself abstain from giving it, but only that they may know of it, if for no other reason than to satisfy their curiosity." Op. cit., pp. 30 and 362, note I. Should the traditions regarding this precocious girl be verified, it would be most gratifying to the people of Bologna, for it would add one more to the long list of her illustrious women. [168] The titles of the two works of this remarkable woman are of sufficient interest to be given in full. They are as follows: 1. _Veritable Declaration de la Decouverte des Mines et Minieres par le Moyen desquelles Sa Majeste et Sujets se peuvent passer des Pays Etrangers_, Paris, 1632. 2. _La Restitution de Pluton a Mgr. l'Eminent Card. de Richelieu, des Mines et Minieres de France, cachees jusqu'a present au Ventre de la Terre, par la Moyen desquelles les Finances de sa Majeste seront beaucoup plus Grandes que celles de tous les Princes Chrestiens et ses Sujets plus Heureux de tous les Peuples._ Paris, 1640. [169] _Die Verdienste der Frauen um Naturwissenschaft and Heilkunde_, p. 169, von Dr. C. F. Harless, Goettingen, 1830.