SECTION XIV - MEDICINE AND JUSTICE

Summary

THE PERFECT SURGEON

John Arderne was born in 1307, and was apparently attached to the households of the first Duke of Lancaster and of his son in law John of Gaunt: it is probable that Chaucer had met him. He wrote about 1370, when, as an old and wealthy man, he could afford to let posterity into his professional confidence. He is “the earliest example that we know at present…of a type of surgeon who has happily never been absent from England.” His fame as a pharmacist long outlived his reputation as surgeon; four of his recipes remained in use until the time of the first pharmacopœia, 1618. The following extract is from a 15th century translation of his Treatise on Fistula, admirably edited for the E.E.T.S. (1910, pp. 1 ff.) by Mr D'Arcy Power, whose are the notes marked Ed.

I John Arderne, fro the first pestilence that was in the yere of oure lord 1349, duellid in Newerk in Notyngham-shire unto the yere of oure lord 1370, and ther I helid many men of fistula.

He here enumerates 21 cases—barons, knights, priests, merchants and friars, and proceeds:

All thise forseid cured I afore the makyng of this boke. Oure lord Jhesu y-blessid God knoweth that I lye not, and therfore no man dout of this, thof-al old famous men and ful clere in studie have confessed tham that thei fande nat the wey of curacion in this case. ffor god, that is deler or rewarder of wisdom, hath hid many thingis fro wise men and slighe whiche he vouchesaf aftirward for to shewe to symple men.