1300-1368

French Physician and Surgeon

Guy de Chauliac has been called "the most eminent surgeon of the European Middle Ages." Other sources view him in the historical shadow of his French predecessor, Henri de Mondeville (1260-1320), who lived a half century earlier. In large part, Guy's fame is based on his publication of Chirurgica magna, a text on surgery that was in standard use until the seventeenth century. But he is also remembered because he was so successful in his practice of medicine and surgery, serving kings and popes in his long career. His fame as a practitioner, gained by his treatment of wounds, cataracts, ulcers, and fractures, was only surpassed by the enduring popularity of his publications on anatomy and surgery. He is also well-remembered for his willingness to remain in Avignon to treat patients during the Black Death rather than flee to...