Caption: "The Writings of Hippocrates, 'Whom nature made for the benefit of her favorite creature, man' - Dante, printed by Lucantonio Giunta, Venice, 1585. Hippocrates' (460-357 B.C.) enormous influence on the progress of medicine is due to the fact that he separated medicine from religion and superstition and placed it on a scientific basis. He formulated its ideals in what is known as the Hippocratic Oath, which is administered with great solemnity to graduates of medicine in many universities of today. Almost as universally known as this oath are the aphorisms of the author, such as: 'Life is short and the art long, the occasion fleeting'; 'Experience is fallacious and judgment difficult'; 'The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself, but also to make the patient, the attendants, and the externals cooperate.' Hippocrates' ideas and observations, with few exceptions, were a profound anticipation of modern knowledge. One exception is his theory of the four humors which make up the body-blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile, whose healthy or unhealthy mixtures depend upon the influence of the heavenly bodies. The famous house of Giunta, printers and publishers, was founded by Niccola in the latter part of the fifteenth century and continued for a hundred years. It established important presses in Venice and Florence. Lucantonio in Venice was active from 1482 to 1536. His heirs continued to print under the same fine printers’ devices and in the same tradition until the end of the sixteenth century. Many of the Giunta types are attributed to the famous designer, Le Be. This work of Hippocrates is one of the finer of the later issues from the noted Venetian branch of the Giunta family.”
Medicine, Greek and Roman Science--Philosophy Natural history Printing--Italy--History--16th century Early printed books--Specimens Printing--Specimens
Place
Venice (Italy)
Source
Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University
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