Byzantine Psychosomatic Medicine (10th-15th Century)

Abstract

Original elements of the psychosomatic medicine are examined by the most important byzantine physicians and medico-philosophers during the 101h-15`11 centuries. These topics concern the psycosomatic unity of the human personality, the psychoso­matic disturbances, diseases and interactions, organic diseases, which cause psychical disorders, psychical pathological reac­tions, which result in somatic diseases, the psychology of the depth of the soul, the psychosomatic pathogenetic reasons of psychiatric and neurological diseases and suicide, the influence of witchcraft on psychosomatic affections, maniac and demoni­ac patients. The psychosomatic treatment has a holistic preven­tive and curative character and encloses sanitary and dietary measures, physiotherapy, curative bathing, strong purgation, pharmaceutical preparations proportional to the disease, reli­gious disposition, psychoanalysis and psychotherapy with dia­logue and the contribution of the divine factor. The late byzantine medical science contributed mainly to the progress of the psychosomatic medicine and therapeutics. The saint woman physician Hertnione (F' cent.) is considered as the protectress of psychosomatic medicine.