Medieval Medicine
A Reader
Author: Faith Wallis Series: Readings in Medieval Civilizations and Cultures
Medieval Medicine: A Reader presents a welcome collection of primary sources on the theories and practices of medicine in medieval Europe and the Mediterranean. No comprehensive collection like this has been available before. Covering aspects of the professional training and practice of medicine, the intersections with law and the development of ethical codes, the volume is particularly useful for its rich collection of materials from the early Middle Ages, which have not been well represented in studies of medieval medicine. With helpful introductions that come from long experience teaching on the subject, Faith Wallis's collection will be a boon to any teacher or student engaging for the first time with medieval European medical history. -- Monica Green, Arizona State University Scholarship in recent decades has greatly broadened our understanding of the ways people in the Middle Ages perceived their bodies, their illnesses, and their responses to illnesses. Access to original texts has been, until now, largely confined to specialists. Wallis performs the great service of making these writings accessible through accurate and graceful translations. -- Linda Ehrsam Voigts, University of Missouri-Kansas City Rich and refreshing! The material ranges from academic exposition to clinical advice, from riveting narrative to poignant correspondence, and from piety to satire. The readings are given in full, rather than excerpted. Lucid introductions cover the spectrum of the entire textbook, without ever becoming 'textbookish,' and serious analysis is leavened by sensible asides and keen wit. The readings and comments are perfectly matched in celebrating the vibrant sanitas of medieval medicine. -- Luke Demaitre, University of Virginia
In this collection of over 100 primary sources, many translated for the first time, Faith Wallis reveals the dynamic world of medicine in the Middle Ages that has been largely unavailable to students and scholars.
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Summary
Medieval Medicine: A Reader presents a welcome collection of primary sources on the theories and practices of medicine in medieval Europe and the Mediterranean. No comprehensive collection like this has been available before. Covering aspects of the professional training and practice of medicine, the intersections with law and the development of ethical codes, the volume is particularly useful for its rich collection of materials from the early Middle Ages, which have not been well represented in studies of medieval medicine. With helpful introductions that come from long experience teaching on the subject, Faith Wallis's collection will be a boon to any teacher or student engaging for the first time with medieval European medical history. -- Monica Green, Arizona State University Scholarship in recent decades has greatly broadened our understanding of the ways people in the Middle Ages perceived their bodies, their illnesses, and their responses to illnesses. Access to original texts has been, until now, largely confined to specialists. Wallis performs the great service of making these writings accessible through accurate and graceful translations. -- Linda Ehrsam Voigts, University of Missouri-Kansas City Rich and refreshing! The material ranges from academic exposition to clinical advice, from riveting narrative to poignant correspondence, and from piety to satire. The readings are given in full, rather than excerpted. Lucid introductions cover the spectrum of the entire textbook, without ever becoming 'textbookish,' and serious analysis is leavened by sensible asides and keen wit. The readings and comments are perfectly matched in celebrating the vibrant sanitas of medieval medicine. -- Luke Demaitre, University of Virginia
In this collection of over 100 primary sources, many translated for the first time, Faith Wallis reveals the dynamic world of medicine in the Middle Ages that has been largely unavailable to students and scholars.
Description
Medical knowledge and practice changed profoundly during the medieval period. In this collection of over 100 primary sources, many translated for the first time, Faith Wallis reveals the dynamic world of medicine in the Middle Ages that has been largely unavailable to students and scholars. The reader includes 21 illustrations and a glossary of medical terms.
Critic Reviews
“This collection of relevant texts in the field of medieval medicine proves to be enormously helpful for those who are in need of a good anthology for a class on the history of medicine in the Middle Ages.”
A truly rewarding work, worth acquiring not only by scholars and teachers of medieval medicine in particular but more broadly by anyone teaching in the field of medieval European history and society. It will also make for compelling reading to anyone curious to explore the sheer range and variety of European medicine in a time of ferment, fascinating intercultural discourse, and far-reaching change. (The Medieval Review) The excellent final product seems to witness years of long work in the testing ground of the classroom. The result is an original and lively collection of medieval texts in modern English about and around medicine, one that also conveys effectively the social complexity and intellectual subtlety of the subject. The collection is an excellent and comprehensive overview both for students and scholars that shows vividly what medicine was for medieval actors and what it is today for historians of medieval medicine. (Social History of Medicine) (Mediaevistik)
About the Author
Faith Wallis is Associate Professor at McGill University, jointly appointed in the Department of History and the Department of Social Studies of Medicine. She is the co-editor of Medieval Science, Technology and Medicine: An Encyclopedia (Routledge, 2005) and the author of essays and translations on medieval science and medicine.
Medical knowledge and practice changed profoundly during the medieval period. In this collection of over 100 primary sources, many translated for the first time, Faith Wallis reveals the dynamic world of medicine in the Middle Ages that has been largely unavailable to students and scholars. The reader includes 21 illustrations and a glossary of medical terms.
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