New Voices Talk Series: Women’s Ideas in the History of Medicine

About the Series

The New Voices Talk Series is organized by Dr. Jil Muller, Deputy Director of the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists, in collaboration with Dr. Fabrizio Bigotti, Director of the Center for the Study of Medicine and the Body in the Renaissance. The aim of the series is to highlight the essential yet often overlooked role of women in the history of medicine.

Irene Cala – 19 March, 4-6pm

Medical texts from Late Antiquity are invaluable for our understanding of lost medical sources. This is particularly true for the medical work of Aetius, a physician native to Amida, lived in the first half of the sixth century AD, and author of a 16-book treatise known as Libri medicinales. This compilation is considered one of the most significant and source-rich works of its time.  While female sources in medical texts appear quite limited or entirely absent—such as in the works of Oribasius of Pergamum—they undoubtedly represent one of the primary sources for the last of the Libri medicinales, where Aetius lists a certain Aspasia as a specialist in various medical practices related to gynaecology and obstetrics.

The prominence of Aspasia seems, at times, to overshadow that of the more renowned Soranus of Ephesus, who is considered the foremost authority on women’s diseases. From this observation, we will attempt to trace the remnants of a medical literature written by women, echoes of which are preserved in the medical texts of Late Antiquity. The selected passages related to fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth management will be discussed, highlighting the physical and psychological approach that characterizes Aspasia’s medical practice and the concrete role played by women in the care of women.

About the Speaker…

Irene Calà is research associate at the Institute for Ethics, History, and Theory of Medicine at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. She is specialist of Greek medicine in Late Antiquity, with a focus on the continuity of medical knowledge from antiquity through the Renaissance. She is currently working on the first critical edition of the unpublished books of Aetius of Amida, in the DFG project led by Mathias Witt.

Further Insights: Interview with Dr. Jil Muller

For those interested in learning more about Dr. Jil Muller’s research and her interdisciplinary approach to the history of medicine, we recommend watching her interview here. As Deputy Head of the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists and Assistant Professor at Paderborn University, Dr. Muller specializes in early modern philosophy, with a focus on female thinkers such as Marie de Gournay, Sophie Germain, Gabrielle Suchon, and Émilie du Châtelet. Her research delves into the intersection of medical and anatomical theory with humanism and moral philosophy, exploring how bodily functions and dysfunctions were linked to ethical considerations in early modern thought. Her book Soigner le corps humain. Péchés et remèdes chez Montaigne et Descartes, published by Classiques Garnier, offers a detailed analysis of the relationship between medicine, sin, and remedies in the works of Montaigne and Descartes.

Participation and Registration

The event will be held online and is free of charge for all interested participants. To receive the Zoom link, registration is required: Register here.

Don’t miss this exciting opening event—join us as we explore the fascinating history of women’s medical knowledge!