Denique Onirocrites, sic erit Hippocrates:Dreams as a Diagnostic Tool in Early Modern British Medicine
On 7 July 1663, a young Edward Browne, who later will become a famous ethnographer and court physician, presented his two theses for a baccalaureate degree at Cambridge University. The title of the first thesis was entitled Judicium de somniis est medico utile (A Determination [of Illness] Based on...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Athens Institute for Education and Research
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Athens Journal of Health and Medical Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.athensjournals.gr/health/2021-8-2-1-Oberhelman.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797957455382052864 |
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| author | Steven Oberhelman |
| author_facet | Steven Oberhelman |
| author_sort | Steven Oberhelman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | On 7 July 1663, a young Edward Browne, who later will become a famous ethnographer and court physician, presented his two theses for a baccalaureate degree at Cambridge University. The title of the first thesis was entitled Judicium de somniis est medico utile (A Determination [of Illness] Based on Dreams Is Useful for the Physician). In a long series of Latin elegiac couplets infused with language and imagery drawn from classical Roman poets like Virgil, Ovid, and Persius, Browne argues that the contents of a dream directly relate to the conditions of a patient’s humors and that a wise person can diagnose the current state of an ailment on the basis of the dream’s imagery. Browne relies on three main classical and Hellenistic Greek sources: Aristotle’s works on dreams, Hippocrates’ Regimen 4 (On Dreams), and Galen’s On Diagnosis from Dreams. In this paper I discuss how Browne’s theories derive from these ancient sources, especially Galen’s text, which had appeared only two centuries earlier in the West in a Latin translation. More importantly I demonstrate how Browne’s views were consistent with current medical theory prevalent throughout England and across Europe among physicians, philosophers, and laypeople. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:04:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-58ff4cc5697b4c458987820b60847714 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2653-9411 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:04:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Athens Institute for Education and Research |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Athens Journal of Health and Medical Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-58ff4cc5697b4c458987820b608477142023-01-09T13:12:09ZengAthens Institute for Education and ResearchAthens Journal of Health and Medical Sciences2653-94112021-06-01828710610.30958/ajhms.8-2-1Denique Onirocrites, sic erit Hippocrates:Dreams as a Diagnostic Tool in Early Modern British Medicine Steven Oberhelman0Professor of Classics, Holder of the George Sumey Jr Endowed Professorship of Liberal Arts, and Associate Dean, Texas A&M University, USAOn 7 July 1663, a young Edward Browne, who later will become a famous ethnographer and court physician, presented his two theses for a baccalaureate degree at Cambridge University. The title of the first thesis was entitled Judicium de somniis est medico utile (A Determination [of Illness] Based on Dreams Is Useful for the Physician). In a long series of Latin elegiac couplets infused with language and imagery drawn from classical Roman poets like Virgil, Ovid, and Persius, Browne argues that the contents of a dream directly relate to the conditions of a patient’s humors and that a wise person can diagnose the current state of an ailment on the basis of the dream’s imagery. Browne relies on three main classical and Hellenistic Greek sources: Aristotle’s works on dreams, Hippocrates’ Regimen 4 (On Dreams), and Galen’s On Diagnosis from Dreams. In this paper I discuss how Browne’s theories derive from these ancient sources, especially Galen’s text, which had appeared only two centuries earlier in the West in a Latin translation. More importantly I demonstrate how Browne’s views were consistent with current medical theory prevalent throughout England and across Europe among physicians, philosophers, and laypeople.https://www.athensjournals.gr/health/2021-8-2-1-Oberhelman.pdfdreamsmedicine in englandgalenedward brownecambridge universityartemidorus |
| spellingShingle | Steven Oberhelman Denique Onirocrites, sic erit Hippocrates:Dreams as a Diagnostic Tool in Early Modern British Medicine Athens Journal of Health and Medical Sciences dreams medicine in england galen edward browne cambridge university artemidorus |
| title | Denique Onirocrites, sic erit Hippocrates:Dreams as a Diagnostic Tool in Early Modern British Medicine |
| title_full | Denique Onirocrites, sic erit Hippocrates:Dreams as a Diagnostic Tool in Early Modern British Medicine |
| title_fullStr | Denique Onirocrites, sic erit Hippocrates:Dreams as a Diagnostic Tool in Early Modern British Medicine |
| title_full_unstemmed | Denique Onirocrites, sic erit Hippocrates:Dreams as a Diagnostic Tool in Early Modern British Medicine |
| title_short | Denique Onirocrites, sic erit Hippocrates:Dreams as a Diagnostic Tool in Early Modern British Medicine |
| title_sort | denique onirocrites sic erit hippocrates dreams as a diagnostic tool in early modern british medicine |
| topic | dreams medicine in england galen edward browne cambridge university artemidorus |
| url | https://www.athensjournals.gr/health/2021-8-2-1-Oberhelman.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stevenoberhelman deniqueonirocritessicerithippocratesdreamsasadiagnostictoolinearlymodernbritishmedicine |