Anna Głusiuk

This article based on the treatise Liber de sinthomatibus muluerum considered one of the most important medieval treaties on gynecology and obstetrics discusses the issues related to the problem of male and female infertility. Despite the fact that its author remains unknown the treatise is an important source showing the state of medical knowledge in this area. Despite the fact that the author tells about procreation of both sexes, he defi nitely paid more attention to women what indicates that for him they were more responsible for the lack of offspring. Information about irregular menstruation, abnormal physical structure and psychological problems show that it was already known how many factors impact on procreation.

Michele Savonarola’s treatise Ad mulieres Ferrarienses de regimine pregnantium et noviter natorum usque ad septennium is one of the most important gynecological and pediatric treaties written in Italy in the 15th century. Undoubtedly, the language in which it were written and its recipients was a novelty for those times. Savonarola had to connect the high mortality of women and children with the little knowledge of the midwives of the time, since he decided to write this treatise. The work certainly allowed them to reach medical knowledge, previously unavailable for them, but the limitations applied in it did not allow for self-treatment, but forced them to frequent consult a doctor. Numerous references to earlier authors testify the Savonarola’s extensive theoretical knowledge and accurate observations the rich medical practice.

Michaele Savonarola’s treatise Ad mulieres Ferrarienses de regimine pregnantium et noviter natorum usque ad septennium is one of the most important treatises on gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics written in Italy of 15th century. Its author combined the high mortality of women and children with the low qualifi cations of the midwives of that time and to rise the level of their knowledge he wrote a treatise which was a kind of the guide through pregnancy, difficulties during birth and care of children from birth until he was seven. Numerous references to the earlier authors testify the Savonarola’s great theoretical knowledge and accurate observation about the medical practice. Even though many of the perinatal complication described by him had already been mentioned by Arnald de Villanova, the language used by Savonarola, the way of explanation of the undertaken problems and numerous advices made the treatise available to midwives who had no medical education but on whose knowledge and skills depended the lives of women and children.

The treatise „Women’s diseases” is one of the few medieval medical works written by a woman. This short work written in Greek by Metrodora is probably the oldest text preserved to modern times, in which the author – woman speaks about women’s diseases.

There is a few information about Metrodora. We do not know exactly when and where she lived, if Metrodora was her real name or only pseudonym and what happened with her original manuscript. We can only suppose that she lived in 6th century in Byzantine Empire and that she worked there as a midwife. She probably was not a Christian  because in her treatise there is not any information about this religion.

The recipes contained in Metrodora’s treatise show us with what kind of healthy problems the women went to her and how she tried to help them. In her recipes we can find a lot of plants and minerals and this show us that she had a deep medical knowledge.