WOMAN IN SCIENCE 



her virtues, but also as a mistress of medical science, 

 antistes discipline in medicina fuit. 



The Greek word for medica iatromaia occasionally 

 found in some of the inscriptions, seems to refer specially 

 to women of Greek origin or birth. This is particularly 

 true of a monument erected to one Valias, who is designated 

 as Kalista iatromaia the best doctor. 1 



Among the many women who became converts to Chris- 

 tianity during the early ages of the church a goodly num- 

 ber were physicians. Unfortunately, our information re- 

 specting these votaries of the healing art is not as complete 

 as we could wish. One of the most noted of them is St. 

 Theodosia, whose name is given in the Roman martyrology 

 for the twenty-ninth of May. She was the mother of the 

 martyr, St. Procopius, and was distinguished for her 

 knowledge of medicine and surgery, both of which she 

 practiced in Rome with the most signal success. She died 

 a heroic death by the sword during the persecution of 

 Diocletian. 



Another woman who was as eminent for her knowledge 

 of medicine as for her holiness of life was St. Nicerata, 

 who lived in Constantinople during the reign of the em- 

 peror Arcadius. She is said to have cured St. John Chrys- 

 ostom of an affection of the stomach from which he was 

 a sufferer. 



To the Roman lady Fabiola, remarkable as the daughter 

 of one of the most illustrious patrician families of Rome, 

 but more remarkable for her sanctity and her boundless 

 charity toward the poor, was due the erection of the first 

 hospital a noble structure which she founded in Ostia, at 

 the mouth of the Tiber, which was then the port of entry 

 to the capital of the Roman empire. Here the noble matron 

 received the poor and suffering from all parts, and did 



i Cf . Hertzen et Eossi Inscriptions Urbis Roma Latinos, p. 1245, 

 No. 9478, Berlin, 1882. 



