From Hospitium to Hortus Medicus: The Roots of Public Healthcare

The public health system is the result of a social and religious development, which has its roots in the first forms of anachoretism of Saint Anthony the Great in the East, and in the monacheism of Saint Benedict and Columbanus in the West. From the first hospitia, which protected pilgrims during th...

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Main Author: Paolo Luzzi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Bologna 2021-09-01
Series:In_Bo
Subjects:
Online Access:https://in-bo.unibo.it/article/view/12457
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author Paolo Luzzi
author_facet Paolo Luzzi
author_sort Paolo Luzzi
collection DOAJ
description The public health system is the result of a social and religious development, which has its roots in the first forms of anachoretism of Saint Anthony the Great in the East, and in the monacheism of Saint Benedict and Columbanus in the West. From the first hospitia, which protected pilgrims during their pilgrimage towards the Holy Land, similar structures developed in connection to the monasteries and the rule of Saint Benedict. Afterwards we encounter more articulated systems which included the so-called giardino dei semplici, provided with out-and-out infirmaries and primitives pharmacies. These structures, initially used only by monks, soon became structures for pilgrims and foreigners, reference points of public healthcare. The secularization of those structures resulted in the creation of the first hospitals combined with the chair of medicine and botanic, and equipped with medical gardens, where medicinal herbs were grown and used for sicks. A modern and functioning example is the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence.
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spelling doaj.art-2149bc61a9364ea591185596541489d22022-12-21T22:30:45ZengUniversity of BolognaIn_Bo2036-16022021-09-01126214–223214–22310.6092/issn.2036-1602/1245710767From Hospitium to Hortus Medicus: The Roots of Public HealthcarePaolo Luzzi0Giardino dei Semplici, FirenzeThe public health system is the result of a social and religious development, which has its roots in the first forms of anachoretism of Saint Anthony the Great in the East, and in the monacheism of Saint Benedict and Columbanus in the West. From the first hospitia, which protected pilgrims during their pilgrimage towards the Holy Land, similar structures developed in connection to the monasteries and the rule of Saint Benedict. Afterwards we encounter more articulated systems which included the so-called giardino dei semplici, provided with out-and-out infirmaries and primitives pharmacies. These structures, initially used only by monks, soon became structures for pilgrims and foreigners, reference points of public healthcare. The secularization of those structures resulted in the creation of the first hospitals combined with the chair of medicine and botanic, and equipped with medical gardens, where medicinal herbs were grown and used for sicks. A modern and functioning example is the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence.https://in-bo.unibo.it/article/view/12457saint benedictmonastic hospicegiardino dei semplicibotanic gardensanta maria nuova in florence
spellingShingle Paolo Luzzi
From Hospitium to Hortus Medicus: The Roots of Public Healthcare
In_Bo
saint benedict
monastic hospice
giardino dei semplici
botanic garden
santa maria nuova in florence
title From Hospitium to Hortus Medicus: The Roots of Public Healthcare
title_full From Hospitium to Hortus Medicus: The Roots of Public Healthcare
title_fullStr From Hospitium to Hortus Medicus: The Roots of Public Healthcare
title_full_unstemmed From Hospitium to Hortus Medicus: The Roots of Public Healthcare
title_short From Hospitium to Hortus Medicus: The Roots of Public Healthcare
title_sort from hospitium to hortus medicus the roots of public healthcare
topic saint benedict
monastic hospice
giardino dei semplici
botanic garden
santa maria nuova in florence
url https://in-bo.unibo.it/article/view/12457
work_keys_str_mv AT paololuzzi fromhospitiumtohortusmedicustherootsofpublichealthcare