[Medicine and humanism: insights of the Nürnberg city physician Theodericus Ulsenius regarding Morbus Gallicus].
The Nuremberg physician and humanist Theodericus Ulsenius (c. 1460-1508) was the author of two works on the so-called Morbus Gallicus. In 1496 he published a Vaticinium in epidemicam scabiem, and he also wrote fifty aphorisms, entitled Cura mali francici. In this article I will characterize Ulsenius' ideas and compare these to the measures the Nuremberg town government took to diminish the dangerous effects of the epidemic. In the function of official town physician, Ulsenius was one of the chief advisers and executives of the Nuremberg health policy. As the 'Ratsverlässe' (records of the town-council meetings) give detailed information, the reactions of senate and physicians can be followed from day to day. The Vaticinium a poem of 100 hexameters was printed at the office of Hans Mair and presented as a pamphlet with a woodcut from the workshop of Albrecht Dürer. The verses refer to a dream of the poet, in which the God Apollo addresses him and talks about the terrible disease. The origin and symptoms of the illness are discussed extensively, in accordance with the prevailing medico-astrological conceptions. Nevertheless, the poem ist not a medical piece of work, but a literary-styled and humanistically appropriate description of the recent epidemic, meant for fellow members of the German respublica litteraria. Like most of Ulsenius' writings, the Cura mali francici only survived as a copy made by his colleague Hartmann Schedel. It seems that the author had different types of audience in mind. The aphorisms refer to the Aphorisms of his great example, the famous Ancient medical doctor Hippocrates of Kos. The addresses of the Cura are obviously medical professionals: the physician in the towns harassed by the Morbus Gallicus and especially the medical professors who hat to lecture on the new ailment.
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Instituut voor Geschiedenis, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Faculteit der Letteren.
D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D006808:Humanism / Q000266:history; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008374:Manuscripts, Medical as Topic / Q000266:history*; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history*
Medizin und Humanismus: Die Einsichten des Nürnbergischen Stadtarztes Theodericus Ulsenius über Morbus Gallicus.