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| Typical marginal illustrations in the Lentaigne Manuscript |
This early fifteenth century manuscript, is so styled to
honour Sir John Lentaigne,
who presented it to the library of the Royal College of Surgeon in Ireland in March
1851. The manuscript itself is a copy of
the works of the English surgeon, John of
Arderne (1307-c1390).
who presented it to the library of the Royal College of Surgeon in Ireland in March
1851. The manuscript itself is a copy of
the works of the English surgeon, John of
Arderne (1307-c1390).
The Lentaignes were landowners in
Normandy and Sir John's father,
a
physician, came to Dublin in 1792. Born in Dublin in 1805 Sir John was an M.D. of
Trinity College, Dublin and a Fellow of the RCSI. A social-reformer he became
Inspector-General of Prisons and in 1861 he became the Commissioner of National Education. He died in 1886.
physician, came to Dublin in 1792. Born in Dublin in 1805 Sir John was an M.D. of
Trinity College, Dublin and a Fellow of the RCSI. A social-reformer he became
Inspector-General of Prisons and in 1861 he became the Commissioner of National Education. He died in 1886.
John of Arderne, a contemporary of
Chaucer, served Edward III as an army
surgeon at the battle of Crécy in 1346. He was also a favourite of Edward's eldest
son, the Black Prince (who granted him
land in Connaught). Arderne's writings
are the earliest documents in these islands on surgery whose source is known. His
greatest accomplishment as an operator is
seen in his Treatise on Fistula in Ano, a
condition all medieval authorities believed
to be incurable.
Arderne tells us that he lived in Newark (near Nottingham) from 1347 to 1370 and while thereChaucer, served Edward III as an army
surgeon at the battle of Crécy in 1346. He was also a favourite of Edward's eldest
son, the Black Prince (who granted him
land in Connaught). Arderne's writings
are the earliest documents in these islands on surgery whose source is known. His
greatest accomplishment as an operator is
seen in his Treatise on Fistula in Ano, a
condition all medieval authorities believed
to be incurable.
'"[he] healed many men of the fistula in ano, of whom the first was Sir Adam de Everingham".
Despite having been declared incurable by many surgeons in France, Sir Adam lived for thirty more years after having been operated on by Arderne. Arderne's claim to be a master surgeon is proven by his courage in undertaking the
cure of this condition. The manuscript contains a full description of the operation, with illustrations of the instruments
and procedure.
Written in Latin, except for one passage in English, the Lentaigne Manuscript is actually two manuscripts combined.
The larger one is on surgical practise, the other on astrology and prognosis. Coloured illustrations of herbs,
pathological conditions, operations and surgical instruments appear in the margins. A coat of arms may represent a
patient of note.
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| Typical marginal illustrations in the Lentaigne Manuscript |
An examination of the hand by Alan Fletcher of the Department of Old and Middle English at University College Dublin dated it to early in the first half of the fifteenth century. A
former owner, Walter Hamond, Chirurgian,
in 1645 had the manuscript bound in leather and interleaved the vellum with paper pages for his own notes. It is not known how the
manuscript came into Sir John Lentaigne's
possession.
A census by the late Professor J.D. Widdess of Arderne's surviving manuscripts showed a total of 43, of which 40 are in England. As most of them are imperfect, the manuscript owned by the RCSI is very important - it is
perfect and in an excellent state of
preservation. Lentaigne presented the
manuscript, a rare source of information on medieval surgical practice with the hope that it might 'be a valuable book of reference to
the College'.
- written by Mary O' Doherty