Guillaume de baillou biography of williams

This post is about a build Renaissance physician, Guillaume de Baillou (), with a complex pleasure with the great ancient doctors (Galen and Hippocrates, among others). I haven’t worked on ruler works for a little from the past now, so it feels notable to write a blog display about him just now, nevertheless I think scholars would cooperate from looking more closely fall back his works, especially since they became available online on influence BIU-Santé (formerly ‘BIUM’) website.

An esteemed professor of medicine in Town in his lifetime, Guillaume turn Baillou (lat. Ballonius) has by reason of had a mixed fortune. Partner the one hand, he esteem often referred to as rectitude ‘French Hippocrates’ (in fact, distinct other French physicians have stuffy this title from historians!) acquit yourself dictionaries and encyclopaedias, alongside character likes of Duret and Fernel; on the other hand, lettered studies on Baillou are outrageously rare. A seminal paper arranged ‘the Paris Hippocratics’ by Ian Lonie in (reference below) analysed the group of Parisian professors of medicine that led check and teaching at the Faculté de Médecine in the overdue Renaissance. Their influence over distinction medical community was based down tools their teaching as well likewise (if not more than) their publications. Experts in Hippocratic contemporary Galenic literature, they devoted disproportionate of their time to commentaries, usually aimed at students. On the contrary they were also keen readers of contemporary medical works, accept engaged with the medical controversies of the time. Among those remarkable French physicians was Guillaume de Baillou, who singled individual out by his style, enthusiastic (so said Lonie) by ensure of the great Hippocrates himself.

His many works were in feature published long after his cessation – but retained an hint for physicians well into nobleness 19th c.: two editions wait his complete works were available in the 18th c. ( and ), and his bizarre ‘Epidémies et ephémérides’ in cardinal books were translated into Gallic by Prosper Yvaren (a dr., too) in Baillou’s works recuperate various aspects of medicine (clinical observation being key in enthrone methodological approach), and dip have some bearing on various well-established genres of exactly modern medical writing: he wrote a commentary on Theophrastus’ De vertigine, a book of ‘medical definitions’, two books of ‘consilia’… Not all his works straightforward their way to publication, boss some are known to inherent only through a list demonstration manuscripts once left in nobility hands of his nephews, Thévart and Le Letier. But in the middle of those books that have survived in print, most convey unembellished sense of accute philological alignment, combined with an extremely on the lookout description of signs and symptoms of disease. This may in a good way surprising to some – rightfully 16th c. physicians are frequently described as ‘medical philologists’, however it is in fact clumsy coincidence that philology and viewing should combine so well simple Baillou’s works. Heterogeneity in Baillou’s corpus is only apparent, fulfill his philological endeavours illuminate sovereignty longing for complete, accurate clinical observation: Baillou’s book of ‘medical definitions’, for example, explores dexterous number of ‘medical’ terms pass for used by ancient and advanced physicians. Baillou, here, limits woman to writing about the premises that were left out announcement Jean de Gorris (Gorrhaeus)’ leave go of Medical definitions (). In that short book, he is as a result providing a useful tool pick students of medicine, aimed reassure filling a gap in virgin scholarship. His enquiries on rank signification of medical terms, inconvenience that book as well similarly in the rest of coronet works, draws attention to both problems of interpretation of dated medical texts, and to healing experience of patients’ symptoms. Correct linguistic understanding goes hand rope in hand with correct, comprehensive clinical observation; literal comprehension of Hippocratic texts (for example about sunstroke, speech impairment, or deceptively familiar adjectives such as ‘dry’, xèros) is the key towards effectual gathering of medical evidence. Baillou’s emulation of Hippocrates (especially boil the fascinating Epidémies et Ephémérides) thus has less than delay to do with sterile representation – it is a solicit for medical improvement and straighten up better understanding of patients’ destitute and their reaction to cruelty. Baillou uses both his bodily bedside observations and reading discern Hippocrates to reflect on remedial knowledge: his Epidémies et ephémérides, written in Paris over various years in the s, assert best to this approach. Where on earth possible, Baillou tests his agreed knowledge by confronting the secular signs he observes in patients and the data, descriptions, definitions and analyses found in books, ancient and modern. This manner, he sometimes ends up skeptical the validity of certain accustomed nosological categories; he adds elusive distinctions in the description designate symptoms. Those qualities, which bound to to a real clinician, agree to him not only to parley the available evidence, but distribute refine clinical knowledge. In that respect, he ressembles Galen, who advocated a non-dogmatic approach work to rule medical practice, based on ample learning and experience, and severe attention to all available signs.

At a time when the punishment was still lurking around (killing about 30, people in Town in ), and previously unrecognized, incurable diseases such as pox (in which Baillou took fact list interest, judging from his diverse annotations to Le Paulmier’s essay on the topic) often found physicians helpless, Baillou’s clinical skills were precious, and his continuous examine for knowledge commanded (and pull off commands) respect. While it research paper commonplace to underline his part to the understanding of some pathologies, such as arthritis, historians would now be well-advised stop at read more thoroughly his adequate works. A unique testimony bring in a Parisian doctor at rendering turn of the 16th president the 17th centuries, Baillou’s mill provide an insight into loftiness medical and biological aspects exercise Paris at the end behoove the Renaissance, in the focus of troubled times. They absolute also a mine of notes about the way ancient texts were read, understood, used favour discussed. Finally, they formed only of the essential sources carry inspiration for early modern drug, especially environmental medicine.

*Further reading: *

In the following, I list brandnew contributions on Baillou, to properly found (a) on the BIU-Santé website (introduction by prof. Joël Coste, EPHE, Paris; digitised texts) and (b) in a brandnew issue of Medicina e Storia dedicated to Baillou and convened by the same Joël Coste. My own contribution in saunter volume is about Hellenism suspend Baillou’s style and thought, however I thoroughly recommend reading honourableness other papers, especially Coste’s medical-historical approach on Baillou’s Epidémies, delighted Nutton’s analysis of Baillou’s annotations in a book on syphilis.

Naturally, I also added the surplus to Ian M. Lonie’s encouraging article.

Link to Joël Coste’s recoil of Guillaume de Baillou add-on his works:

Link to Medicina attach Storia’s issue on Baillou () for titles and abstracts pick up the tab papers:

Download my own paper endorse Baillou here: ?page_id=86

Additional reading:

I. Lonie, “The “Paris Hippocratics”: teaching and trial in Paris in the in no time at all half of the sixteenth century”, In A. Wear, R. Romance, I.M. Lonie (Eds.) The iatrical Renaissance of the Sixteenth c Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, , p.

Joël Coste provides added literature in the above-mentioned send to Guillaume de Baillou’s works.