BARTHOLMAEUS METLINGER ON THE CARE OF THE NEWBORN INFANT (1473)

[摘要] On December 7, 1473, Günther Zainer of Augsburg printed Bartholomaeus Mettlinger's (?-1491) book entitled Ein Regiment der Jungen Kinder .1 This book has two distinctions: it was the first pediatric text to be printed in the vernacular; and the first of its kind to contain an illustration.Metlinger drew heavily from the Arabic physicians, indeed some of his chapters are copied almost verbatim from Rhazes. He also leaned heavily on the writings of Hippocrates and Galen in preparing his book.2His suggestions for the immediate care of the newborn infant were as follows:After the child is born the midwife shall cover his fingers with rose or other honey, put it in the child's mouth in such a manner that it covers the jaws, gums and tongue so that if there is any to be dissolved it will be dissolved. Then the navel should be cut four fingers long and tied both on the side of the child and that of the mother so that it does not bleed. Then one should sprinkle the child with finely pulverized salt but not the mouth, nostrils or face. It is good to mix the salt with equal parts of powdered rose, wild marjoram and whortleberry flowers. Averroëes and Avicenna are of the opinion that salt bites and that the child should be rubbed with acorn oil. Such salting or anointing cleans and strengthens the external members so that the child may be handled with the least care whether it be cold or hot, severe or mild [weather].

[学科分类] 儿科学