Guy de Chauliac (c.1300 – 1368), born in Chauliac, Lozère, Paris, France, the son of French peasants^[1]. He studied medicine and anatomy and went on to be the physician to three popes. He is most famous for his work on surgery, Chirurgia magna. He was among the most important physicians of his time, and his ideas dominated surgical thought for over 200 years. He died in Avignon, on July 25, 1368.

Contents 1 Life 1.1 Plagues 2 Works 2.1 Chirurgia magna 2.1.1 Emphasis on Anatomy 2.2 Other Works 3 Bibliography 4 References

[edit] Life

Chauliac began his study of medicine in Toulnuse before moving on to study in Montpellier. Montpellier was considered on of the centers of medical knowledge at the time. Around 325, he became a Master of Medicine and Surgery. It is known that he was in Paris between 1315 and 1320 ^[2]. After receiving his degree, he went to Bologna to study anatomy under Bertuccio. There is some dispute as to whether or not de Chauliac actually performed surgery. Charles H. Talbot writes, "It was seemingly from books that [Chauliac] learned his surgery. [...] He may have used the knife when embalming the bodies of dead popes, but he was careful to avoid it on living patients" ^[3]. Others, including Thevenet, claim that Chauliac moved to Mende and then Lyons to practice medicine after learning the art of surgery from Bertuccio ^[2]. Chauliac's reputation as a physician grew quickly. He was invited to the Papal Court in Avignon to serve as a personal physician to Pope Clement VI (1342-1352). He also served as physician to Pope Innocent VI (1352-1362), and then to Pope Urbain V (1362-1370).

[edit] Plagues

A plague epidemic hit Avignon in 1348, which resulted in many physicians fleeing the area. Chauliac, though, stayed on, continuing to treat plague patients as well as documenting their symptoms in detail. He even survived a a case himself. Chauliac distinguished between the Bubonic Plague and the Pneumonic Plague. He advised Pope Clement to keep a fire burning at all times and to take no visitors ^[2]. Chauliac The plague is also recognized as being contagious, and Chauliac recommends the air to be purified, venesection (opening of a vein to remove blood), and having the sick maintain a healthy diet to combat the disease. Jews were widely thought to have caused the plague by poisoning the wells; Chauliac fought against this idea, using science to declare the theory untrue^[4].

[edit] Works

[edit] Chirurgia magna

Chauliac's Chirurgia magna, his seminal work on surgery, was complete in 1363 in Avignon. In seven volumes, it covers anatomy, bloodletting, cauterization, drugs, anesthetics, wounds, and fractures, ulcers, special diseases, and antidotes, among other things ^[4]. His treatments included the use of plasters. Chauliac also believed that pus from an infection was required in the healing process.

Chauliac quoted frequently from other works, both past and current, as he sought to give medicine a history. He claimed that surgery found its start with Hippocrates and Galen, and further developed in the Arab world through such people as Haly Abbas, Albucasis, and Al-Razi. Through his position as physician to the pope, Chauliac had access to Galen's text, translated directly from the Greek by Nicollo da Reggio, which were more accurate than the Latin version available^[5]. He also believed in the importance of location of his own studies, Montpellier, with respect to surgical study^[4]. He references Galen and Avicenna often in the work. The work was extremely popular and was translated into English, French, Hebrew, Dutch, Italian, and Provencal. Chirurgia magna was greatly influenced my Islamic scientists. It was reworked multiple times, including to remove references to Islamic scientists, to the point that the work was no longer recognizable as Chauliac's own ^[4].

[edit] Emphasis on Anatomy

Galen's influence on Chauliac can clearly be seen in the latter's belief that surgeons should have a thorough understanding of anatomy. He wrote, "A surgeon who does not know his anatomy is like a blind man carving a log" ^[2]. He also describes the dissection of a corpse in accordance with Galen's thoughts on the human body. Chauliac's (and his contemporaries) unwillingness to look outside of textbook knowledge was one of the reasons that Chauliac's anatomical descriptions are not always correct.

[edit] Other Works

Three other works were written by Chauliac: Practica astrolabii (De astronomia), an essay on astrology; De ruptura, which describes different types of hernias; and De subtilianti diaeta, explaining cataracts and possible treatments for them.

[edit] Bibliography

• Guigonis De Caulhiaco (Guy de Chaulliac), Inventarium Sive Chirurgia Magna, Michael R. McVaugh, Margrete S. Ogden (editors),

Brill, 1997. ISBN 90-04-10784-3. Reviewed here: [1]

• Guy de Chaulliac, Guy de Chauliac Biography (c. 1300-c. 1368), 2008. ISBN 90-04-10784-3. Reviewed here: [2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Grant, Edward: A Source Book in Medieval Science, page 816. Harvard University Press, 1974.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Thevenet, Andre: "Guy de Chauliac (1300-1370): The Father of Surgery" Annals of Vascular Surgery Volume 7, Number 2, page 208
3. ^ Lindberg, David C.: Science in the Middle Ages, page 410. University of Chicago Press, 1978.
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Bulletin of the History of Medicine 72.3 (1998) pages 533-535
5. ^ http://www.routledge-ny.com/ref/MiddleAges/Science/gyn.pdf