Medieval medicine

What can we work out from the picture?

• On your copy of the picture, try to mark LIGHTLY IN PENCIL as many objects, or people, as you can see.

• If there is something you do not understand put a question mark.

• You have just 2 minutes to do this!

Professor reading a text

Text, probably by Galen, Rhazes or Avicenna

Knife? Scalpel. Today is called the LANCET or small surgical knife

Obviously important old texts in locked books. Could be an original Hippocrates?

Angel suggests divine approval of his work

Written in French

Title of the book

• Called, in French

• Tresor des pauvres

• What do you think that means? How does this influence your view of the image that appeared on the front of Tresor des pauvres?

So who was he ?

• Arnaldus de Villa Nova also called Arnaldus de Villanueva, Arnaldus Villanovanus, Arnaud de Ville-Neuve or Arnau de Vilanova, born in 1235 in Spain - alchemist, astrologer and physician. He studied chemistry, medicine, physics, and also Arabic philosophy. He went to Paris, where he gained a considerable reputation, as shown in this print. About 1313 he was summoned to Avignon by Pope Clement V, who was ill (so he must have been famous), but he died on the voyage.

• He is credited with translating a number of medical texts from Arabic, including works by Ibn Sina (Avicenna), and Galen. Among his achievements were the discovery of carbon monoxide and pure alcohol.

• With thanks to Lorna Hunter, of Swanmore Technology College on whose original idea this SMART task is based.

• With thanks to The Wellcome Trust for permission to use the image.