Hortus Simplicium: The First Attempt of Practical Teaching

Abstract

Teaching the correct use of the plants for therapeutic purposes was basic for medicine studies. Since the XVI century Universities created professorship roles for the lectura simplicium. An hortus simplicium was very important for the teaching methodology as a training place for the student. It could give the chance to recognize "in vivo" the simplices and their medicinal properties. A specific attention of the physician in taking care of his own patients also protected them from the mistakes and fraudes of the spetiali.