The book “The Art of Healing” presented in Pompeii at the Salerno Medical School

On the afternoon of June 14, 2019, the book “The art of healing” by the young archaeologist Ilenia Tamburro, dedicated to the Salerno Medical School, was presented in Pompeii, in the “Marianna De Fusco” Hall of the Town Hall, under the patronage of the Municipality of Pompeii represented by Councilor Bartolo Martire. An attentive and numerous audience followed the phases of the presentation of the introduced and moderated Francesco Domenico D'Auria. The latter also performed some readings of selected passages by the Author, a true Pompeian, as well as a series of tasty Aphorisms, which were the typical production of the Medical School that from Salerno, starting from the year 1224, radiated its medical and scientific knowledge throughout the Europe of the Middle Ages. The speakers who preceded the closing speech by the author Ilenia Tamburro were: the architect and our journalist Federico LI Federico who presented the work, after having edited the preface, followed by the Psychiatrist Antonio Morlicchio who focused on the specificity of the history and activity of the Medical School which is the pride of Salerno. It was thanks to the School that Salerno received from the Emperor FREDERICK II the title of Civitas Ippocratica, in XNUMX, on the occasion of the foundation of the University of Naples. 

The author herself, Ilenia Tamburro, concluded the presentation of the book by entertaining the audience with competence and punctuality, explaining the reasons why she took on such a literary effort, which is absolutely rare for a first work. Tamburro also illustrated the parts of the book dedicated to the Spagyric Medical School of Paracelsus and the frescoed Crypt of the Cathedral of Anagni, which was built shortly after the year 1000 by Bishop Pietro da Salerno. The author then concluded the presentation of the most famous aphorisms of the Medical School and the most widespread graphic representations of medicinal herbs from the Gardens of Minerva. In short, an afternoon plagued by the heat but refreshed by the breezes of "knowledge in pills" conceived in Salerno and spread throughout Medieval Europe by the mulieres and doctors of Salerno. Convinced and numerous applause closed the literary meeting.