Georg Bartisch
Encyclopedia
Georg Bartisch was a German physician who was a native of Königsbrück
, Saxonia
. At the age of thirteen he began his medical career as an apprentice to a barber surgeon
, and for a considerable portion of his life Bartisch was an itinerant surgeon
who plied his trade throughout Saxony
, Silesia
, and Bohemia
. He eventually settled down in Dresden
, and in 1588 became court oculist to Duke Augustus I of Saxony.
Although Bartisch was not academically trained, he was considered a highly-skilled practitioner of ocular medicine and surgery. He is credited for producing the first Renaissance
manuscript on ophthalmic disorders and eye surgery
, which was called 'Ophthalmodouleia Das ist Augendienst. It was published in 1583, and discussed ocular diseases, surgical techniques and instruments, as well as an ophthalmic atlas of 92 woodcut
s depicting diseases of the eye. Bartisch is also remembered for his work in lithotomy
for removal of urinary calculi
Despite his skill as a surgeon, Bartisch was a superstitious
individual, as he believed that magic
, astrology
and witchcraft
played a significant part in medicine.
Königsbrück
Königsbrück is a town in the Bautzen district, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated west of Kamenz, and northeast of the Saxon capital Dresden...
, Saxonia
Saxonia
Saxonia may refer to:* Saxonia, the Latin name of Saxony* Saxonia , the allegorical representation of Saxony* Saxonia , first locomotive built in Germany in 1838, more than one passenger ship of the Cunard Line...
. At the age of thirteen he began his medical career as an apprentice to a barber surgeon
Barber surgeon
The barber surgeon was one of the most common medical practitioners of medieval Europe - generally charged with looking after soldiers during or after a battle...
, and for a considerable portion of his life Bartisch was an itinerant surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
who plied his trade throughout Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, and Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. He eventually settled down in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, and in 1588 became court oculist to Duke Augustus I of Saxony.
Although Bartisch was not academically trained, he was considered a highly-skilled practitioner of ocular medicine and surgery. He is credited for producing the first Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
manuscript on ophthalmic disorders and eye surgery
Eye surgery
Eye surgery, also known as orogolomistician surgery or ocular surgery, is surgery performed on the eye or its adnexa, typically by an ophthalmologist.-Preparation and precautions:...
, which was called 'Ophthalmodouleia Das ist Augendienst. It was published in 1583, and discussed ocular diseases, surgical techniques and instruments, as well as an ophthalmic atlas of 92 woodcut
Woodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
s depicting diseases of the eye. Bartisch is also remembered for his work in lithotomy
Lithotomy
Lithotomy from Greek for "lithos" and "tomos" , is a surgical method for removal of calculi, stones formed inside certain hollow organs, such as the kidneys , bladder , and gallbladder , that cannot exit naturally through the urinary system or biliary tract...
for removal of urinary calculi
Despite his skill as a surgeon, Bartisch was a superstitious
Superstition
Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any process in the physical world linking the two events....
individual, as he believed that magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
, astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
and witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
played a significant part in medicine.