The French Disease in the Physicians'Counsels of the 16th Century: the Origins and Evolution of the Consilia Literature illustrated with works of French, Italian, and German Medical Leaders
2018
Abstract
Consilia played an important role in medieval but also early modern professional health literature. Literary "consilium" contained a written statement of one particular case, the patient's condition and disease as well as advice on a medical procedure.
In the 16th century, the Consilia Literature was a common part of many eminent physicians' practice whereas nowadays it is unjustly neglected source of history of medicine. This is illustrated with analysis of consilia from twenty two different collections or anthologies of fifteen selected authors whos patients suffered from one of the most horrible early modern illnesses - the French disease that is examined thoroughly.