FAQ
Francesca of Salerno
Flourished 1320s, Salerno, Italy
Francesca (also called Francesca Romana) obtained a doctorate in surgery in 1321 at the medical school in Salerno, which was a training ground for many female physicans in the fourteenth century and had accepted women from its inception. The language used in Francesca's degree reveals one reason for this enlightened policy: "Whereas the laws permit women to practice medicine, and whereas, from the viewpoint of good morals, women are best adapted to the treatment of their own sex, we, after having received the oath of fidelity, permit the said Francesca to practice the said art of healing" (Allen, Concept of Woman, 431).
Related Place Setting
Related Heritage Floor Entries
Abella of Salerno
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Primary Sources
Allen, Prudence. The Concept of Woman: The Aristotelian Revolution, 750 B.C.–A.D. 1250. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1997.
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum