[Neurohagiography. Lamberto Caesaraugustanus, the cephalophoric: holy patron of Spanish neurology?].
Until now Neurology has lacked a patron saint who, taking the most advantage of the rich cultural tradition inherited from our past and independently of the religious ideology of each one, can be helpful approach in the neurologist figure to different people. An Ad Hoc Committee from the Neurology History Study Group of the SEN has researched the medical hagiography with any kind of neurological relationship (neurohagiography), in order to make a hagiography study of every saint related to our speciality, with the added luck of proposing a patron for Neurology with hispanic origin. In this pioneer study of historiographic research different documents related with the medical hagiography have been studied, especially the Index ac Status Causarum, and information coming from different national ecclesiastic archives. A total of 342 saints share the patronage of 137 diseases, of which a 27,7% are related in some way to Neurology. Headache constitutes the prime cause of the invocations, with 20 saints. Another 11 saints plead for epilepsy; to these we also must add another six for so called possessed patients. Therefore, two of the three main causes of invocation (headache, fever and epilepsy) come up to chronic processes. Of all the saints with a hispanic origin candidates to the patronage of the neurologists San Lamberto Caesaraugustanus stands out, who died in the year 303 during Diocletian persecution. Belonging to the selected standing of "cephalophoric martyrs" (those beheahed who carry their own head in their hands), he was able to walk an important distance (about six kilometres) with his head split from the body, a fact only understood as a suprahuman phenomenon thanks to which he has becomes the brain transplant pioneer.
Martín
A
A
Comité Ad Hoc del Grupo de Estudio de Historia de la Neurología de la Sociedad Española de Neurología (GEHN-SEN), Madrid, España. amartina@medynet.com
Fernández-Armayor
V
V
Moreno
J M
JM
Bustamante
C
C
D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D009462:Neurology / Q000266:history*; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D018597:Saints; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013030:Spain; D000078329:Workforce