Medicine and Space. Body, Surroundings and Borders in Antiquity and the Middle Ages

393 Pages·2011·8.39 MB·English

by  Patricia A. Baker

Medicine and Space
Visualising the Middle Ages
Edited by
Dr. Eva Frojmovic, University of Leeds (UK)
Editorial Board
Professor Madeline H. Caviness, Tufts University (USA)
Professor Catherine Harding, University of Victoria (Canada)
Professor Diane Wolfthal, Rice University (USA)
VOLUME 4
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.nl/vma
Medicine and Space
Body, Surroundings and Borders in Antiquity and
the Middle Ages
Edited by
Patricia A. Baker
Han Nijdam
Karine van ’t Land
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2012
Cover illustration: Design Sylvie Boersma 2011. Detail of anatomical man from: Gregor Reisch,
Margarita Philosophica (Johann Schott: Freiburg 1503). Background: Sacratissimi ypocratis liber
pronosticorum, National Library of Medicine, Manuscript E 2, f. 21r.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Anglo-Dutch Wellcome Symposium (2007 : Nijmegen, Netherlands)
Medicine and space : body, surroundings, and borders in antiquity and the Middle Ages /
edited by Patricia A. Baker, Han Nijdam, Karine van ’t Land.
p. ; cm. — (Visualising the Middle Ages, ISSN 1874-0448 ; v. 4)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
  ISBN 978-90-04-21609-9 (hardback : alk. paper)
I. Baker, Patricia Anne. II. Nijdam, Han. III. Land, Karine van ’t. IV. Title. V. Series: Visualis-
ing the Middle Ages ; v. 4. 1874-0448
[DNLM: 1. Philosophy, Medical—history—Congresses. 2. Anatomy—history—Congresses.
3. Architecture as Topic—history—Congresses. 4. History, Ancient—Congresses. 5. History,
Medieval—Congresses. 6. Space Perception—Congresses. W 61]
610—dc23
2011037328
ISSN 1874-0448
ISBN 978 90 04 21609 9
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contents v
.
.
Contents
Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .ix
List.of.Illustrations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .xi
List.of.Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   xix
Figures and Plates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..following xx
Introduction:.Conceptualizing.Body,.space.and.Borders. . . . . . . . . . . .  1
Patricia Baker and Han Nijdam
PArt.one
sPACes.of.AnAtomy
.
fistulas,.the.Knee,.and.the.‘three-dimensional’.Body
Michael McVaugh  23
Inside. and. outside,. Cavities. and. Containers:. the. organs. of.
Generation.in.seventeenth-century.english.medicine
Helen King  37
PArt.tWo
the.Body.And.sPACe
the.‘locus.affectus’.in.Ancient.medical.theories.of.disease
Glenda Camille McDonald  63
Internal,. yet. extrinsic:. Conceptions. of. Bodily. space. and. their.
relation.to.Causality.in.Late.medieval.University.medicine
Karine van ’t Land  85
Permeable.Boundaries:.Bodies,.Bathing.and.fluxes:.1135–1333
Fabiola I W M van Dam  117
vi contents
PArt.three
sUrroUndInGs
space.and.the.Body:.Uses.of.Astronomy.in.hippocratic.medicine
Maithe A A Hulskamp  149
shaping.the.difference:.the.medical.Inquiry.into.the.nature.of.
Places.and.the.early.Birth.of.Anthropology.in.the.hippocratic.
treatise.Airs Waters Places
Roberto Lo Presti  169
death.and.the.City:..the.human.Corpse.as.an.embodiment.of.
Public.Wellbeing.in.Counter-reformation.rome
Catrien Santing  197
PArt.foUr
hosPItALs.And.ArChIteCtUre
spaces.of.sickness.in.Greco-roman.medicine
Ralph M Rosen  227
medieval.Islamic.hospitals:.structural.design.and.social.Percep-.
tions
Patricia Baker  245
Liminality. and. disability:. spatial. and. Conceptual. Aspects. of.
Physical.Impairment.in.medieval.europe
Irina Metzler  273
Bibliography.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Index.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
preface vii
.
.
PrefACe
the.idea.to.consider.the.relationship.between.spatial.conceptions.and.
medicine.developed.through.a.fortunate.meeting.of.two.of.the.editors.at.
a.symposium .through.discussions.it.was.deemed.that.the.topic.of.space.
and.medicine.should.be.considered.for.the.periods.in.question.at.the.
2007.Anglo-dutch.Wellcome.symposium.(29th–30th.november.2007,.
nijmegen),. entitled. Medicine and Space: Bodies, Buildings and Other
Borders .since.the.area.of.study.was.unique.to.medical.history.there.were.
a.small.number.of.participants.and.with.one.or.two.exceptions,.no.one.
specialised.in.space .nonetheless,.all.of.those.who.presented.papers.were.
able.to.demonstrate.the.significance.of.space.in.relation.to.their.own.
areas.of.research,.and.when.doing.so.created.a.new.approach.and.deeper.
insight.into.different.aspects.of.medical.history,.such.as.discerning.spatial.
understandings.of.the.body.from.textual.descriptions.and.looking.for.
social.rules.regarding.the.ill.in.the.layout.of.buildings .
Although.space.is.a.popular.theme.in.the.history.of.medicine,.the.focus.
tends.to.be.on.buildings.and.rooms.associated.with.healing.and.experi-
mentation.from.the.16th./.17th.century.to.the.present .there.is.a.notice-
able.absence.of.this.theme.covered.for.Antiquity.and.the.middle.Ages .
yet,.consideration.of.space.in.earlier.periods.does.not.simply.fill.a.gap.in.
this.growing.field.of.study,.but.encourages.an.historical.awareness.that.
past.conceptions.of.the.body,.medicine.and.places.of.healing.were.quite.
different.to.those.of.more.modern.eras .moreover,.practitioners.in.the.
early.modern.and.modern.periods,.until.very.recently,.studied.classics.
and.history,.and.their.practices.may.have.been.influenced.by.their.stud-
ies .thus,.the.volume.provides.scope.for.scholars.of.modern.medical.his-
tory.to.explore.the.possible.influence.of.the.classical.and.medieval.past.in.
medicine.of.more.modern.times .
from.the.ensuing.discussions.which.the.symposium.elicited,.it.was.
deemed.necessary.to.produce.a.scholarly.work.that.widens.the.definition.
and.theoretical.understandings.of.space.in.relation.to.medicine,.particu-
larly.in.regards.to.conceptions.of.the.body,.illness.and.the.surrounding.
natural.and.built.environments .It.was.also.noted.that.it.was.important.
for.the.periods.in.question.to.receive.more.attention.in.medical.history,.
as.the.focus.of.many.medical.history.conferences.tends.to.ignore.periods.
prior.to.the.seventeenth/eighteenth.centuries .It.was.also.suggested.that.
viii preface
in.spite.of.the.conference.papers,.certain.aspects.of.medicine.and.space.
had.not.been.covered,.such.as.the.location.of.disease.and.the.physical.
placement.of.people.with.specific.bodily.and/or.mental.conditions .
hence,.the.volume.consists.of.papers.accepted.by.blind.review.that.
were.either.presented.at.the.conference.or.were.commissioned.to.fill.the.
areas.mentioned .It.is.ultimately.a.small.field.of.study,.but.the.papers.
from.the.periods.in.question.consider.differing.sources.of.evidence.that.
form.a.varied.and.informative.collection.that.demonstrate.the.ways.in.
which.space.can.be.examined.to.further.our.understandings.of.past.med-
ical.concepts .this.introduction.to.new.means.of.approaching.the.subject.
will.be.a.useful.guide.for.scholars.to.take.their.examinations.into.new.
directions.and.expand.awareness.of.how.significant.ideas.of.space.are.in.
relation.to.numerous.aspects.of.medical.treatment .the.volume.also.pro-
vides.a.scope.for.scholars.of.modern.medical.history.to.explore.the.pos-
sible.influence.of.the.classical.and.medieval.past.in.medicine.of.more.
modern.times
the.most.significant.contribution.this.volume.makes.is.in.widening.
the.theoretical.understanding.and.definition.of.medical.spaces .the.con-
cept.in.relation.to.medical.history.tends.to.focus.on.the.construction.of.
buildings.and.spaces.within.buildings .however,.the.cultural.conceptions.
tend.to.be.overlooked.in.favour.of.functionalist.theories.that.regard.the.
needs.of.the.doctor.or.scientist .hence.this.volume.goes.beyond.such.
interpretations.by.considering.the.fundamental.questions.of.what.is.
space,.how.is.it.conceived.by.different.peoples.in.the.past.and.how.do.
these.conceptions.influence.understandings.of.the.body,.healing.and.
places.of.medicine
list.of.illustrations ix
.
.
ACKnoWLedGements
the.editors.would.first.like.to.thank.the.Wellcome.trust,.radboud.
University.nijmegen.and.the.KnAW.(royal.netherlands.Academy.of.Arts.
and.sciences).for.funding.the.conference,.radboud.University.nijmegen.
for.hosting.it,.and.frank.huisman.for.his.assistance.in.organizing.it .Philip.
van.der.eijk,.orlanda.Lie.and.manfred.horst.manshoff.gave.valuable.
advice.and.comments.during.the.conference.and.shortly.afterwards.con-
cerning.the.plan.to.create.a.volume.as.a.follow-up.of.this.fruitful.sympo-
sium .second,.we.would.like.to.thank.Julian.deahl.and.marcella.mulder.
of.Brill.Publishers.and.also.the.various.anonymous.reviewers,.who.gave.
such.useful.feedback.to.our.contributors .We.are.furthermore.indebted.to.
the.following.institutions.and.individuals.for.generously.providing.us.
with.iconographic.material:.the.Wellcome.trust.Image.Collection;.the.
national. Library. of. medicine,. Washington. dC;. Bas. meeuws;. Lloyd.
Bosworth,.University.of.Kent,.the.Grainger.Collection;.the.Aga.Khan.
Institute.at.mIt;.the.Creswell.Archive.at.the.Ashmolean.museum.and.
harvard.University;.the.Vatican.Library;.the.hunter.Collection.at.the.
University.of.Glasgow;.the.mcKinney.Collection.at.the.University.of.
north. Carolina,. Chapel. hill;. the. Bodleian. Library,. oxford;. and. the.
Pergamon.museum,.Berlin