WOMEN IN MEDICINE AND SURGERY 287 



In view of the facts above mentioned regarding the Uni- 

 versity of Salerno the excellence of its work, its liberality 

 and breadth of view, its attitude toward the higher educa- 

 tion of women, and its preeminence for so many centuries 

 as a school of medicine is it surprising that it was, until 

 comparatively recent times, considered l ' the mater et caput 

 of medical authority in ethical matters," and that, so late 

 as 1748, the Medical Faculty of Paris should address an 

 official letter to the faculty of Salerno requesting its judg- 

 ment regarding the rights of precedence as between physi- 

 cians and surgeons ? But what is surprising, and what, too, 



terms et suis salutem, etc. In actionibus nostris utilitati puplice 

 libenter oportune perspicimus et honestatem morum in quantum suadet 

 modestia conservamus. Sane Francisea uxor Mathei de Eomana de 

 Salerno in Regia Curia presens exposuit quod ipsa circa principale 

 exercitium cirurgie sufficiens circumspecto in talibus judicio reputa- 

 tur. Propter quod excellence nostre supplicavit attentius ut licen- 

 tiam sibi dignaremus concedere in arte hujusmodi practicandi. Quia 

 igitur per scriptum puplicum universitatis terre Salerni presentatum 

 eidem Eegie Curie, inventum est lucide quod Francisca prefata fidelis 

 est et genere orta fidelium ac examinata per medicos Eegios pa- 

 ternos nostrosque cirurgicos, in eadem arte cirurgie tamquam ydiota 

 suffieiens est inventa, licet alienum sit feminis conventibus interrese 

 virorum, ne in matronalis pudoris contumelia irruant et primum cul- 

 pam vetite transgressionis incurrant. Quia tamen de juris indicto 

 medicine officium mulieribus est concessum expedienter attento quod 

 ad mulieres curandas egrotas de honestate morum viris sunt femine 

 aptiores, not recepto prius ab eadem Francisca solito fidelitatis et 

 quod iuxta tradiciones ipsius artis curabit fideliter corporaliter Jura- 

 mento, licentiam curandi et practicandi sibi in eadem arte per Jus- 

 titieratum jam dictum auctoritate presentium impartimus. Quare 

 fidelitati vestre precipimus quatenus eandem Franciscam curare et 

 practicari in prefata arte per Justitieratum predictum ad honorem 

 et fidelitatem paternam et nostram ac utilitatem fidelium presentium 

 earumdam libere permittatis, nullum sibi in hoe impedimentum vel 

 obstaculum interentes. Datum Neapoli per dominum Bartholomeum 

 de Capua, etc., Anno domini mcccxxi, die x Septembris v, indictionis 

 Eegnorum dicti domini patris nostri anno xiii. 



Collectio Salernitana, Tom. Ill, p. 338, by G. Henschel, C. Darem- 

 berg, and S. de Eenzi, Naples, 1852-59. 



