Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H Schipperges.
The modern patient expects his physician to be a qualified and competent expert. Beyond this, the chronically sick also wants him to be a personal advisor and an understanding companion. The paper deals with these two aspects of medical treatment, both from the point of view of the physician and from that of the patient.
In the light of a nature-centered philosophy and its image of man and universe, the medical science of Paracelsus appears 'enlightened by nature'. Based on this experience, the physician found his medical art on the 'four pillars' ('Philosophia', 'Astronomia', 'Alchimia', 'Physica'). Acting out of the healing power of nature would be incomplete, if 'Physica' would not be accompanied by 'Virtus', the ethical component of all medical actions. This is described by Paracelsus by the picture of mercy ('Barmherzigkeit'), in whose sentiment all medical acting finds its final motivation. Therefore, the script concentrates in particular on what Paracelsus describes as 'love for the patient'.
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Based on the writings on philosophy of nature by Paracelsus, the depiction of his picture of the universe and man is tentatively deduced from his ideal of the 'light of nature'. Paracelsus uses traditional cosmology to isolate the latter from its rigid ordered structure and to interpret it as an order of processes. To this end he uses terms such as 'time' or 'timing' that not only explain human pathic states but also clarify the biochemical order of processes of all living matter. 'Nature' in the spirit of 'time' does not mean the static, completed creation but the dynamic imperative to man to transfigure himself and to transmutate an entire universe in conclusion. Finally the 'paths to the last days' resulting from the philosophy of 'nature and time' of Paracelsus expressing themselves in this vision of a 'transfiguration of the universe' and a 'glorification of the corpus' are touched.
The question of the patient's expectation on his physician and through him on modern medicine has nowadays developed to surprising actuality. Four points are raised for reflection basing on historic analysis, empiric investigations and personal experience: 1. The expectations on the personal physician, the "eyewitness" of life. 2. The expectations on the physician as expert in diagnosis and treatment. 3. The expectations on the physician as companion through critical situations and as helper in need. 4. The expectation on a new patient-doctor relationship in tomorrow's medicine.
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Out of the multifaceted visionary writing of St. Hildegard from Bingen (1098-1179) three aspects are selected and commented on: 1. The cosmologically oriented art of healing showing man in its original state (constitutio) its actual condition (destitutio) and the expected healthy final state (restitutio); 2. An universal vision oriented on mystic enligthment proposing the individual as creation (opus Dei), as partner (opus alterum per alterium) and as worker on nature (opus cum creatura); 3. The esthetic dimension of universal and human perception as expressed by Hildegards songs (carmina) which culminate in hymns on the "celestrial Jerusalem". We should consider, that these aspects--beyond their historic roots--indicate ways for healing and salvation of the integral individual.
After a brief review of the life and work of Paracelsus (1493-1541) the five spheres of existence of the healthy as well as the sick individual are characterized (theory of the 5 entities). Founding on this theoretical orientation of existence Paracelsus constructs his "house of medicine" which is resting on 4 pillars: on "Philosophia" as natural and human science, on "Astronomia" as structured chronologic order, on "Alchimia" as science of the preparation of materials and on "Physica" providing the ethical prerequisite for medical practise. Paracelsus believes the physician to represent an educated expert applying standards to the other faculties as well; in his eyes medicine represents the "cornerstone of university".
A critical analysis is given of the present situation of modern medicine and an attempt is made to outline the challenges to medicine during the next decade. These are seen in the enormous over-population of the world, the over-aging of the population, the increase of chronic diseases and an alarming environmental pollution. However, the challenges to medicine also include the establishing of a new concept of health and a new health system combining both the maintenance of health and the curing diseases.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
An account is given of the case history of a woman afflicted with mental disease and its course of healing, as described in the works of St. Hildegard of Bingen. The therapy may be considered as an early attempt of "team work" in health care. For better understanding of this rather casuistic contribution to the medicine of the High Middle Ages some principles of mediaeval medicine are explained. The key figure of "melancolia" is thereby given a position of central importance for the understanding of psychic disturbances in the Middle Ages.