Richard Arderne 1380

Fifteenth Century Manuscript of John of Arderne Medical treatises

Anatomy Acts , a major exhibition exploring the social, cultural and scientific significance of medicine in Scotland over the past 500 years, opens this month in Edinburgh. Our book choice highlights one of the exhibits being lent by Glasgow University Library. It is a heavily illustrated medieval manuscript consisting of several medical works by the renowned fourteenth century surgeon John of Arderne.

Born in 1307/08, John of Arderne practised as a surgeon in Nottinghamshire and London. He is traditionally said to have learnt his skills as a military surgeon during the 100 Years War, although there is no real evidence for this.  It is perfectly possible, however, that he did travel abroad and his writings certainly indicate that he was man of wide experiences.

His fame rests on a number of medical works that he produced towards the end of his life in the 1370s. Drawing on his practical experiences as a doctor, these vividly recount many case histories of patients that he had successfully treated. Although craft trained rather than University educated, Arderne was nonetheless very learned - he wrote in Latin, and had obviously read many of the scholastic authors closely, quoting extensively from authorities such as Galen, Guy of Chauliac, Avicenna, and Dioscorides.

But although pioneering in some ways, Arderne still believed in some of the rather unscientific medical practices of the Middle Ages. His methods are often obscured by his use of nonsensical names for ointments and plaisters, while many of his recipes for prescriptions are vague - appparently deliberate ploys to prevent his competitors from stealing his ideas. He was prepared to include folk charms and popular remedies in his texts, and believed in practising astrology in the diagnosis, treatment and prognostication of ailments, as was the norm. This link between astrology and medicine is typified in the 'zodiac man', a representation of celestial influence on the human body found in hundreds of medieval medical manuscripts. As shown in the illustration here, the zodiacal symbols are painted on the body in the appropriate places, from Aries for the head and face to Pisces for the feet. The signs demonstrate which parts of the body are influenced by which astrological sign, thus indicating the most auspicious times for performing operations.

Oxford Historical Society, publications

Publications

The parliamentary history of the county of Worcester, including the city of Worcester, and the boroughs of Bewdley, Droitwich, Dudley, Evesham, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove and Pershore, from the earliest times to the present day, 1213-1897, with biographical and genealogical notices of the members

The history of the ancient parish of Sandbach, co. Chester, Including the two chapelries of Holmes chapel and Goostry. From original records

History, topography, and directory of Northamptonshire, by Francis Whellan and co