Peter Matheson
In my historical work about early modern women and men I’ve frequently come across references to doctors: some famous like Paracelsus, some prominent in civic politics, like Gereon Sailer of Augsburg, others much less well-known. Apart from general references to humours and blood-letting we seldom, though, get more than a glimpse of their relations to their patients, of their beliefs and their clinical practices. Some issues, such as measures to combat the plague, are better researched, but we know little about individual doctors, individuals such as William Harvey being very much the exception.
All this is about to change, thanks to an ambitious project launched in 2009 by the Institute for Medicine at Würzburg University. Researchers have succeeded in tracing more than 50,000 letters, written between 1500 and 1700, to and from German doctors. The majority of this (unbelievably large) number of letters has already been digitalised, and most have been at least briefly annotated, their near illegible signatures identified, and dating and place of origin established. Quite an achievement, given that the letters were scattered in countless archives and libraries in and beyond Germany!
After twenty years as a nurse in the British National Health Service (NHS), Christie Watson is leaving medicine to pursue a literary career. But with the generosity that characterises the job to which she has devoted much of her life, she has taken the time to share what it has taught her.
Five thousand years ago Oman was the centre of the world’s frankincense trade. Frankincense was traditionally burned at funerals and to repel malaria-bearing mosquitoes in the coastal regions. Other uses included the treatment of wounds, nausea, blood pressure, fever and inflammation. It was in great demand by the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Israelites for their religious ceremonies. A whole year’s supply was burned at the funeral of Nero’s wife. As one of the gifts to the Christ child, frankincense was considered more valuable than gold. To transport frankincense across the desert, camels were domesticated in southern Arabia. At least one of the Magi is said to have started his journey to Bethlehem from southern Oman.