De Medicina
De Medicina is the only surviving part of the great encyclopedia of Aulus Cornelius Celsus in Latin. In it he comprehensively presents the medical knowledge of his time. The text was probably written between AD 25 and 35.
Position in the complete works and sources
De Medicina is part of an extensive encyclopedic work. Some books are supported by quotations from later writers. There are numerous citations on questions of agriculture in Columellas De re rustica . The disciplines of agriculture, medicine, rhetoric and warfare seem relatively secure. Perhaps the encyclopedia went much further than that.
Celsus relies especially on Hippocrates . Already in the Prooemium he wrote ... Hippocrates Cous, primus ex omnibus memoria dignus, a studio sapientiae disciplinam hanc separavit ... Over 100 parallel passages between the works of Hippocrates and Celsus have been found and evaluated.
He quotes numerous Greek doctors, including some who worked in Rome. Most often, Asklepiades of Bithynia is mentioned. Cassius, a doctor in Rome who was contemporary with Celsus and who wrote in Latin, is also one of his sources.
But the knowledge of the Roman peasant people also found its way into his work. For example, in Book IV, 7 eating swallow chicks is referred to as vulgo audio , i.e. H. "Heard by the vernacular", recommended.
content
De Medicina is divided into a Prooemium and eight books.
Proemium
Celsus is in Prooemium the history of medicine and the trends of the medical knowledge of his time. Starting from the early humans who worship Aesculapius, Hippocrates separates the healing art of philosophy. His students divide medicine into three areas: διαιτητικήν ( victus , dietetics), φαρμακευτικήν (pharmaceuticals), Χειρουργίαν (surgery) (paragraph 9).
The art of healing was then divided into a theoretical and a practical orientation (empiricist) (paragraph 12). The theorists developed ideas about the origin of diseases and the structure of the human body. Herophilos and Erasistratos went so far as to dissect alive people condemned to death (sections 24-26). Empirical experts, such as Herakleides of Taranto, believe that the experienced doctor acquires sufficient knowledge while healing (paragraphs 27–47). It is important to know exactly the patient's constitution and living conditions.
However, the same circumstances do not lead to the same diseases. Asklepiades of Bithynia and Themison of Laodikeia have therefore developed a new teaching. Themison assumes that the diseases have features in common. These need to be treated according to a method ( μέθοδον ) (paragraph 57).
Celsus weighs the currents against each other and comes to the conclusion: “I believe that medicine should have a theoretical basis, but should be guided by the apparent causes, in that the expert should not take the hidden causes out of his considerations, but at least banished from art. "
Book I - Dietetics
Book I deals with the way of life that serves to maintain good health. The general rule is moderation: Concubitus yes, but neither too much nor too little, only when it is not tired, not directly before the meal, etc. Physical exercise, bathing and eating are given rules similarly leisurely. Celsus then describes various practices in the case of disturbed digestion, such as the induced vomiting, the use of laxatives. But here, too, reference is made to a healthy lifestyle.
Sections 4 to 10 describe treatments for various body weaknesses such as headache, diarrhea, stomach weakness, gout. Recovery is sought through the lifestyle: walks, drinking through a straw, warmth, avoidance of sexual intercourse (Sub divo quies optima est. Venus semper inimica est) .
Book II - General Etiology, General Therapeutics
In Sections 2 to 5, Celsus shows general signs of illness, such as sudden weight loss, fever, flatulence, sudden attacks of sleep, sweating, urine sediment. In Section 6, signs of imminent death are added. Sections 7 and 8 cover the symptoms of specific diseases with good and bad prognoses, an endless list of symptoms and diseases that are difficult to classify. Treatment methods are presented in Sections 9 to 18: Bloodletting (sanguinem incisa vena mitti) even in children and pregnant women, cupping , various plant and animal substances, enema , rubbing, moving / rocking / traveling (gestatio) , fasting, sweating, special Food and drinks. These are listed in great variety in Sections 18 to 33. The main difference is the nutritional value (valentissimus , imbecillissimus) . Four-legged pets have large, herbaceous vegetables with low nutritional value; fatty meats have greater than lean ones. For a weak patient, however, light, poorly nutritious food is recommended. The effect of food on physical functions, such as B. good sleep or heavy urine production described.
Book III - General Pathology and Therapy
Celsus first explains the difference between acute and chronic illness. Then he lists diseases and their treatment. Fever with its different types (one-day, three-day, four-day), forms of madness (phrenitis, melancholy, insurmountable drowsiness, numbness), neuralgia, dropsy, emaciation (cachexia, pulmonary consumption), epilepsy, jaundice, leprosy are discussed. The treatments are largely taken from the methods presented in the book.
Book IV - Special Pathology and Therapy
Book IV describes the ailments of the body parts from head to toe. Celsus begins with the head: migraines, neuralgia, hydrocephalic headaches. The respiratory organs follow: runny nose, angina, croup, dyspnea, asthma, cough. The abdominal region adjoins: Inflammation of the liver (cirrhosis of the liver with ascites and hydrops), spleen problems, kidney problems, stomach and intestinal problems (acute gastritis, stomach ulcer), cholera nostras, dysentery. In the last part, sciatica, rheumatic joint pain and gout are presented.
Book V - Pharmacology, Wounds
In the Prooemium, Celsus weighs the benefits of the diet (Latin victus , Greek δίαιτα means comprehensive, nutrition, treatments such as massaging or bathing, lifestyle) against the benefits of medication. Medicines are recommended by the empiricists. Asklepiades rejects them, also on the grounds that they damage the stomach. Both methods are justified.
Sections 1 to 16 describe ailments and the remedies that are used against them - mainly herbal and mineral substances, e.g. B. Myrrh for astringent wounds. In Sections 17–25, the production of malagmata vero atque emplastra pastillique (= soft mixtures, plasters, pills) against special ailments is described.
In Sections 26 to 28, Celsus describes external injuries to the body from weapons and animal bites, as well as injuries that arise from within: cancer , carbunculus , ulcus , and their treatment.
Book VI - Pathology and Therapy from Head to Toe
Book VI deals with diseases that affect specific parts of the body, from the head (sections 1–5) to eyes (section 6), teeth (section 9), the partes obscenas (section 18) to the limbs.
Book VII - Surgery
The representation of the surgery is called the highlight of the work of Celsus.
In the Proemium Celsus lists a number of Greek doctors whom he consults. In particular, he again praises Hippocrates. Then he gives a wonderful description of the surgeon: “... A flexible, firm hand that never trembles; with the left as agile as with the right. The eyes sharp and bright; unshakable in mind; just enough sympathy that he wants to see whoever comes to him healed, but does not allow himself to be pushed by his screams ... ”In the following 33 sections, the most varied of complaints are treated from head to toe, which require surgical intervention . Section 7, in which operations on the eyelid and eye are described in detail, is particularly impressive. Also very interesting is the description of the surgical removal of bladder stones in Sections 26–28 and the removal of a dead embryo through the vagina. More amusing is the remark in Section 8 that treating injuries to the ears, nose, and lips often involves wearing heavy rings.
Book VIII - Osteology
In Book VIII the doctrine of fractures and dislocations of bones occupies a large part. In the case of bone necrosis, the bone is exposed and the diseased area is cauterized or removed. Celsus describes the trepanation of the skull, fractures of the nose, the auricles, the lower jaw, the collarbone, the ribs, the spine, the fractures of the limb bones.
Lore
The traditional manuscripts all go back to the same archetype, since they all have the same large gap in Book IV. The main codes are Cod. Vatican. 5951 (10th century); Laurent. 73, 1 (11th century); Parisin. 7028 (11th century). Numerous other manuscripts exist.
Little was known of Celsus in late antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages. Pliny the Elder mentions him three times. Only in the 8th century do we find him again as an agricultural writer with Isidore of Seville . De Medicina was rediscovered by Guarino da Verona in 1426 during the Renaissance . The writing was first printed in Florence in 1478. Numerous other prints followed. J. Khüffner made the first translation into German as early as 1531. In the 19th century several translations into German (1840, Bernhard Ritter), English, French and Italian appeared.
Text editions and translations
- Aulus Cornelius Celsus: De medicina / The medical science . Introduced, translated and commented by Thomas Lederer. 3 volumes. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2016
- Celsus: De Medicina. With an English Translation by WG Spencer. London 1960.
- Walter Müri : The doctor in antiquity. Düsseldorf / Zurich 2001.
- Jutta Kollesch , Diethard Nickel : Ancient healing art - selected texts. Reclam, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 978-3-15-009305-4 . Partial translations: Aulus Cornelius Celsus, Die Medizin. Book I (from the foreword), Book VII (Chapter 26.3 C, and Chapter 12.1).
literature
- Alfred Kappelmacher : Investigations into the encyclopedia of A. Cornelius Celsus. Vienna and Leipzig 1918 ( online ).
- Ivan Bloch : Celsus. In: Max Neuberger, Julius Pagel (ed.): Handbook of the history of medicine. Hildesheim, New York 1971.
- Pschyrembel : Clinical Dictionary. 259th edition, Berlin, New York 2002.
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Structure of the Encyclopedia of Celsus. In: Alfred Kappelmacher: Celsus.
- ↑ Celsus, Proemium , 8.
- ↑ Parallel Passages in Hippocrates and Celsus. In: WG Spencer: Celsus, De Medicina.
- ^ Index of Proper Names . In: WG Spencer: Celsus, De Medicina.
- ↑ The sources of Celsus. In: Alfred Kappelmacher: Celsus.
- ^ Celsus, De Medicina , Prooemium , 74, translation Müri.
- ↑ Celsus, De Medicina , I, 9, 2.
- ↑ General pathology and therapy. In: Iwan Bloch: Celsus.
- ↑ Special pathology and therapy. In: Iwan Bloch: Celsus.
- ↑ a b surgery. In: Iwan Bloch: Celsus.
- ^ Celsus, De Medicina , VII, 4, translation Müri.
- ↑ The medical writing of Celsus. In: Iwan Bloch: Celsus.