Gilbertus Anglicus
Encyclopedia
Gilbertus Anglicus also known as Gilbert of England, was an English physician
of the Medieval period. He is known chiefly for his encyclopedic work the Compendium of Medicine, (Compendium Medicinae,) most probably written between 1230 and 1250. This was an attempt at a comprehensive overview of the best practice in medicine and surgery at the time.
at Salerno
, Italy, most probably under the famed surgeon, Roger of Parma. He returned to England to serve under Archbishop Hugo Walter, but left England again some time after the archbishop's death in 1205. It is thought that he spent the remainder of his life on the continent, gaining the soubriquet Gilbert the Englishman from his land of origin.
His major work, the Compendium Medicinae, written in Latin
, was produced at some time after the year 1230. The work, running to seven books, is an attempt to provide a comprehensive encyclopedia of medical and surgical knowledge as it existed in his day. Gilbert does not claim to be the originator of most of the material in his book. He quotes extensively from Roger of Palma, and acknowledges that his work is indebted to Greek physicians including Galen
, Hippocrates
and Theophilus Philaretes, Arab physicians such as Averroes
and Avicenna
, as well as a number of the Salernitan Masters of Italy. The Compendium covers the full range of medical and significantly also the surgical treatments in use at the time.
Gilbert was one of the most famous European physicians of the period. His fame lasted for centuries after his death. His Compendium was published in print in 1510, and was reprinted again as late as 1608. Gilbert is listed with the great physicians of all time in the verse of Chaucer.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
of the Medieval period. He is known chiefly for his encyclopedic work the Compendium of Medicine, (Compendium Medicinae,) most probably written between 1230 and 1250. This was an attempt at a comprehensive overview of the best practice in medicine and surgery at the time.
Life
Little is securely known of the detail of the life of Gilbert. Born about 1180, he received his early education in England before leaving for Europe. It is known that he studied at Western Europe's first and foremost school of medicine, the Schola Medica SalernitanaSchola Medica Salernitana
The Schola Medica Salernitana was the first medieval medical school in the cosmopolitan coastal south Italian city of Salerno, which provided the most important source of medical knowledge in Western Europe at the time...
at Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, Italy, most probably under the famed surgeon, Roger of Parma. He returned to England to serve under Archbishop Hugo Walter, but left England again some time after the archbishop's death in 1205. It is thought that he spent the remainder of his life on the continent, gaining the soubriquet Gilbert the Englishman from his land of origin.
His major work, the Compendium Medicinae, written in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, was produced at some time after the year 1230. The work, running to seven books, is an attempt to provide a comprehensive encyclopedia of medical and surgical knowledge as it existed in his day. Gilbert does not claim to be the originator of most of the material in his book. He quotes extensively from Roger of Palma, and acknowledges that his work is indebted to Greek physicians including Galen
Galen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
, Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
and Theophilus Philaretes, Arab physicians such as Averroes
Averroes
' , better known just as Ibn Rushd , and in European literature as Averroes , was a Muslim polymath; a master of Aristotelian philosophy, Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, Maliki law and jurisprudence, logic, psychology, politics, Arabic music theory, and the sciences of medicine, astronomy,...
and Avicenna
Avicenna
Abū ʿAlī al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Sīnā , commonly known as Ibn Sīnā or by his Latinized name Avicenna, was a Persian polymath, who wrote almost 450 treatises on a wide range of subjects, of which around 240 have survived...
, as well as a number of the Salernitan Masters of Italy. The Compendium covers the full range of medical and significantly also the surgical treatments in use at the time.
Gilbert was one of the most famous European physicians of the period. His fame lasted for centuries after his death. His Compendium was published in print in 1510, and was reprinted again as late as 1608. Gilbert is listed with the great physicians of all time in the verse of Chaucer.
-
- Wel knew he the olde Esculapius
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- And Deyscorides and eek Rufus,
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- Olde Ypocras, Haly and Galyen,
-
- Serapion, Razis and Avycen,
-
- Averrois, Damascien and Constantyn,
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- Bernard and Gatesden and Gilbertyn.
External links
- http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16155/16155-h/16155-h.htm