Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 48

CAELIUS AURELIANUS (fl. 5th century) De acutis morbis, lib. III. De diuturnis, lib. V. Apud Guliel. Rouillium 1566 [16] 554 [22] pp. 16.7 cm.

The greatest physician after Galen was unquestionably Caelius Aurelianus, whose works took second rank only to those of Celsus among Latin authors (Ralph H. Major, A history of medicine. 2 vols. Springfield, IL, 1954. Vol. I, p. 204). All that is known of Aurelianus is that he was a native of the African colony of Numidia and that he likely practiced and taught in Rome. He was a follower of the Methodist School and was the leading translator of the works of Soranus (see No. 194), who enjoyed a reputation as the greatest of the Methodist physicians. It is largely due to Aurelianus that the present version of these two great works by Soranus on diseases and their treatment have survived. The works on acute and chronic diseases, here edited by Jacques Dalechamps (1513-1588), are largely a translation of similar works by Soranus but also contain many observations by Aurelianus. They are surprisingly modern in their organization, with Aurelianus discussing diseases according to their etiology, symptomatology, pathology, treatment, and diagnosis. He gave an excellent clinical picture of pthisis and gout, gave early descriptions of motor and sensory paralyses, encephalitis, stammering, and speech defects. Aurelianus also differentiated epileptic seizures from hysterical attacks and recommended humane treatment for the mentally ill.

See Related Record(s): 194

Cited references: Cushing C10 (1722 ed.); Durling 355 (1567 ed.); Osler 1161 (1774 ed.); Waller 1689 (1567 ed.); Wellcome 547

Gift of John Martin, M.D.