During the 400 years or so between Saint Hildegard von Bingen and the man who would come to be known as Paracelsus, monastic medicine underwent some drastic changes. At varying times, the Church became concerned that priests, monks and nuns were devoting too much time to medicine and not enough to their religious duties. This led to edicts and rules prohibiting those in religious vocations from practicing medicine. Such edicts were never universally followed though, especially in England where the Benedictines continued to be the leading force in medicine until the violent take over of their institutions by the Anglican government. These restrictions were also lifted or openly ignored during epidemics and wars. The influence of the Benedictines continued to be the major force in medical education, but this led to the rise of a professional class of doctors, surgeons and apothecaries. This, in turn, placed the study of medicine mostly in the realm of the children of wealth and position... as is still the case today. This professional class of medical men (women being almost entirely excluded from universities and the professional practice of medicine) formed guilds. They controlled who could practice medicine through their influence on laws... as is also still the case today. This also led to medicine in several countries being dominated by certain wealthy and powerful families, who created barriers to entry for both the common people in their own countries and to foreigners.
Fascinating take on Paracelsus, many thanks! What I have been unable to find anywhere is a straightforward account of how he cured this or that. He wrote a whole treatise on gout, for example, was there anything useful in it? The accounts of his life say he was very successful in healing people because of his extensive pragmatic learning from all and sundry. Well, what did he actually do? And has anyone translated Elf Traktat into English?
I find this most fascinating and interesting! God, creator of all that comprises nature, and creator of humans obviously made nature to supply humans with all we need physically. Mankind and nature were made for one another. Human beings, in their arrogance, think they can do more and better than God!
I don't think we are better of with artificial man made medicine and food. In fact the articial chemicals we ingest cure one problem and create other health problems. I could go on and on, but it would be too long!
Fascinating take on Paracelsus, many thanks! What I have been unable to find anywhere is a straightforward account of how he cured this or that. He wrote a whole treatise on gout, for example, was there anything useful in it? The accounts of his life say he was very successful in healing people because of his extensive pragmatic learning from all and sundry. Well, what did he actually do? And has anyone translated Elf Traktat into English?
I find this most fascinating and interesting! God, creator of all that comprises nature, and creator of humans obviously made nature to supply humans with all we need physically. Mankind and nature were made for one another. Human beings, in their arrogance, think they can do more and better than God!
I don't think we are better of with artificial man made medicine and food. In fact the articial chemicals we ingest cure one problem and create other health problems. I could go on and on, but it would be too long!