Though forensic medicine came into being in the modern age it was the result of a process that dates back to the late middle ages, when medical practitioners (physicians, surgeons, barbers, midwives) were called upon to give their experts’s opinion in the context of criminal investigations. These medical practitioners were also called on to express an opinion in processes of canonization. In the latter case, was their testimony acknowledged as being as important as that concerning criminal investigations? From the 14th century to the end of the middle Ages in Italy and France – territories featuring an early development of Studia and of faculties of medicine – was there an increase in the participation of these medical practitioners as witnesses in the investigations in partibus of canonization processes? What was the probative value of their testimony? The article seeks to answer these questions through analysis of several canonization processes drawn up in the territory under examination between the 14th and the early 16th century.
Il ruolo del guaritore profano nell'identificazione del miracolo. I processi di canonizzazione tra XIII e XVI secolo (Italia e Francia)
Foscati A
2019-01-01
Abstract
Though forensic medicine came into being in the modern age it was the result of a process that dates back to the late middle ages, when medical practitioners (physicians, surgeons, barbers, midwives) were called upon to give their experts’s opinion in the context of criminal investigations. These medical practitioners were also called on to express an opinion in processes of canonization. In the latter case, was their testimony acknowledged as being as important as that concerning criminal investigations? From the 14th century to the end of the middle Ages in Italy and France – territories featuring an early development of Studia and of faculties of medicine – was there an increase in the participation of these medical practitioners as witnesses in the investigations in partibus of canonization processes? What was the probative value of their testimony? The article seeks to answer these questions through analysis of several canonization processes drawn up in the territory under examination between the 14th and the early 16th century.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
