Scientific and Medicinal writings
Hildegard of Bingen was one of the first women to write about science in the middle ages. Hildegard's knowledge of science, nature and medicine did not root from her theological experiences, but rather from helping out at the monastery's herbal garden (which she later managed), and from theoretical information which she gained from her intensive reading at the monastery's library. [1] Even though her understanding of science did not come from religious experiences, she had faith that the man was the peak of god's creation and everything was put in the world for man to use. In other words, science comes from god. As Hildegard acquired practical skills of diagnosis and treatment, she came up with treatment for diseases centered on "spiritual healing" as well as healing methods involving applications of tinctures, herbs, and precious stones. [1]
Hildegard classified both her theory and practice into two works, which are together known as Liber Subtilatum ("The Book of Subtleties of the Diverse Nature of Things"). The first work, Physica, which is divided into nine books, is about the scientific and medicinal properties of numerous plants, animals, fish, reptiles, stone, trees and metal. [1] It also describes her types of herbal medicine. Her second work, Causae et Curae, ("Causes and Cures"), starts off diving into cosmology and cosmography and then continues to explain the place of mankind in this world. Hildegard then proceeds to describe the human body and in addition descriptions of more than two hundred diseases causing suffering to mankind, not to mention causes and cures for many of these illnesses too. She also documented remedies for common injuries such as burns, fractures, dislocations, and cuts. It is guessed that she used these books to help teach assistants at the monastery. Hildegard's scientific writings are historically significant because they show areas of medieval writing that were poorly documented because their practitioners (mostly women) rarely wrote in Latin, noted Melanie Lipinska who is a Polish scientist. [1] Hildegard's writings inspired many future generations of scientists, and most importantly they are some of the very few scientific and medicinal compositions that still exist from the middle ages. [1]
Bibliography
[1] “Hildegard of Bingen.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen#Scientific_and_medicinal_writings.
Hildegard classified both her theory and practice into two works, which are together known as Liber Subtilatum ("The Book of Subtleties of the Diverse Nature of Things"). The first work, Physica, which is divided into nine books, is about the scientific and medicinal properties of numerous plants, animals, fish, reptiles, stone, trees and metal. [1] It also describes her types of herbal medicine. Her second work, Causae et Curae, ("Causes and Cures"), starts off diving into cosmology and cosmography and then continues to explain the place of mankind in this world. Hildegard then proceeds to describe the human body and in addition descriptions of more than two hundred diseases causing suffering to mankind, not to mention causes and cures for many of these illnesses too. She also documented remedies for common injuries such as burns, fractures, dislocations, and cuts. It is guessed that she used these books to help teach assistants at the monastery. Hildegard's scientific writings are historically significant because they show areas of medieval writing that were poorly documented because their practitioners (mostly women) rarely wrote in Latin, noted Melanie Lipinska who is a Polish scientist. [1] Hildegard's writings inspired many future generations of scientists, and most importantly they are some of the very few scientific and medicinal compositions that still exist from the middle ages. [1]
Bibliography
[1] “Hildegard of Bingen.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen#Scientific_and_medicinal_writings.
