Women of Salerno

The women of Salerno, also referred to as the "ladies of Salerno", the "Salernitan women", and the "mulieres Salernitanae", are a group of women physicians who studied in medieval Italy, at the Schola Medica Salernitana, one of the first medical schools to allow women. These women not only practiced medicine, but were known to both teach and to publish medical works.[1] Additionally, there is evidence that they were not limited to the study of female diseases, but studied, taught, and practiced all branches of medicine.[2]

A miniature depicting the Schola Medica Salernitana from a copy of Avicenna's Canons

These women included:

  • Trota of Salerno – The most famous of the women of Salerno, Trota is believed to have lived during the 11th or 12th century.[1] She had long been believed to be "Trotula of Salerno", the author of a 3-part book about medical treatments for women, De curis mulierum ("On Treatments for Women"). However, recent discoveries indicate she was likely only the author of one third of this compendium.
  • Constance Calenda (15th century) – Lectured on medicine and was eventually a professor at the University of Naples.[3]
  • Rebecca Guarna – Published works on "Fevers, De febrius" the "Urine, De Urinis" and the "Embryo, De embrione".[2]
  • Abella – Published works on "Black Bile" and "Nature of Seminal Fluid"[2]
  • Maria Incarnata
  • Mercuriade – Published works on "Crises", "Pestilent Fever, De Febre Pestilenti", and "The Cure of Wounds, De Curatio"[2]

References
  1. Green, Monica (January 1989). "Women's Medical Practice and Health Care in Medieval Europe". Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society. 14 (2): 434–473. doi:10.1086/494516. ISSN 0097-9740. PMID 11618104.
  2. Walsh, James J. Old-time makers of medicine the story of the students and teachers of the sciences related to medicine during the middle ages. Fordham University Press. OCLC 1091537094.
  3. "Trotula and the Ladies of Salerno". Nature. 145 (3674): 507–508. March 1940. Bibcode:1940Natur.145R.507.. doi:10.1038/145507b0. ISSN 0028-0836.
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