Salernitan Medical School or Langobardic Medical School?

Already famous since the high Middle Ages, the Salernitan Medical School reached its whole scientific role between the 11th and 12th century, declining later due to the rising of modern universities. Information on the earliest period of the School is very poor but, starting from the 10th century, we know that Salernitan physicians were widely recognized as researchers and healers. This paper is focused on the heavy role recognized to the Langobards (first) and Normans (later) on development of the Salernitan Medical School. A special role must be recognized to Alfanus I, Gariopontus and Trotula de Ruggiero: they left memories on their enterprises and many manuscripts of great relevance for the development of Middle Ages and Renaissance Medicine. Their multicultural experience dragged the Salernitan School to become the greatest expression of medical science of its age. This role was expressed in the "Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum" or "Flos Medicinae Salerni", a book that resumes the highest knowledges on general hygiene, dietetics, physiotherapy, comparative anatomy and surgery. The book had a tremendous success, having more than 300 editions in many languages up to 1846. It was an essential reference for western medical literature up to Renaissance. Furthermore, Langobards took care of health laws, mainly in the Rotari edict, which included laws on medical practice and on the physicians' role. (www.actabiomedica.it).

Two Masters of Surgery in Parma during the Middle Ages.

During the Middle Ages, Parma, in Northern Italy, undoubtedly represented a landmark for surgical science and practice all around Europe. Around the same period the Salernitan Medical School, already famous since the high Middle Ages, reached its whole scientific role. Due to the importance reached by the School, for centuries several physicians throughout Europe, aiming for an international fame, told they were "Salernitan". One of the most famous examples is represented by Roger Frugardi, or Ruggero Frugardo, or Ruggero da Parma (before 1140 - about 1195), who was widely known as "Rogerius Salernitanus" (Roger of Salerno), meaning that his scientific success was a consequence of the affiliation to the Salernitan Medical School. Roger wrote an important book, the "Practica Chirurgiae" (Surgical Practice), also known as "Rogerina", edited and published by his pupil Guido "the young" of Arezzo. It was the first Handbook of Surgery in the post-Latin Europe, containing important innovations, such as the very first description of a thyroidectomy, thus influencing surgical practice until late Renaissance. The Roger's pupil Rolando dei Capelluti was the successor and extensor of his Master's work. In his work he particularly developed the cranial surgery and the study of neurological diseases (e.g., epilepsy or mania). His masterwork, known as "Rolandina", also influenced European surgery for centuries.

One holy man, one eponym, three distinct diseases. St. Anthony's fire revisited.

The use of eponyms adds a valuable historical context to the art of medicine, and shall hence be encouraged, nevertheless their use must always reflect an appropriate historical and medical terminology. A bizarre narration concerns the widespread term "St. Anthony's fire", which has been used for denoting not less than three distinct diseases. In this article we underscore that at least three distinct diseases, one toxic (i.e., ergotism) and two infectious (i.e., erysipelas and herpes zoster) have been called, in different times and countries, with the same eponym term of "St. Anthony's fire", whilst some other diseases may have also been comprised under this "umbrella" definition. It is possible, for example, that even some cases of plague may have been misclassified as "St. Anthony's fire". This article also deals with the importance of this topic in the history of art. Several important artists in different periods, in particular painters, were inspired from the history of St. Anthony, who is generally represented in association with fire (representing the burning pain of the diseases), pig (symbolizing the fat of pigs used in the past for relieving skin symptoms), and different "temptations" (devils, food, gold, jewelry, etc.). A literary masterwork is also cited and discussed.