LIFE
        Trotula, Trotula di Ruggiero, Trota and  Trocta are just some of the many different names that were given to a woman who is considered to be the world's first gynecologist. Trotula was an Italian physician and known to many scholars as one of the most famous of the medical school of Salerno. Tortula lived during the 11th century. Trotula died in 1097, but her birth year is unknown. She married Johannes Platearius who was a fellow physician and a member of the University of Salerno. Together Trotula had two sons, Mattias and Johannes. Both sons followed in their mothers footsteps into the field of medicine.

STUDIES
        Trotula's affiliation with the University of Salerno as the first university to admit women gave way to her ideas and words. She had the resource to get her  writings passed on through continued reprinting and anthologizing. She was established as a medical writer. Her major contribution to the medical field was in obstetrical and gynecological expertise. Trotula was the first woman professor of medicine.

        Trotula’s “historical reality” was been denied in history by some nineteenth century scholars. Trotula has been well documented through history. She is well known for her “The Diseases of Women.” Within the sixty-three chapters, Trotula documented special helath issues (conception, abortion, menstruation and pregnancy among many others) of women that were known at that time. One example in her book was the use of opiates to women during childbirth to ease the pain. Prevention was the first and foremost idea of medicine, but when that approach failed she would turn to holistic medicine. A majority of her holistic practice of medicine involved the interactions between humans and plants. These interactions lead the way to her diagnoses. Even though her remedies were considered radical, many of them have been used in modern medicine.

        Her way of practicing medicine was based on fact and observation. Theories were not acceptable medicine, but she did not ignore there importance. She formulated a method of determining the sex of an unborn infant, without the use of an ultrasound. In a glass of water the mother’s blood and milk form her right breast were put in, and if the fluid sank, the baby would be a boy. Although some of her explanations are a bit out there, she still made some very important contributions to the history of science. Trotula is known to have applied Hippocratic and Galenic thoughts and ideas to her diagnoses and treatments.

RUMORS and ACCREDIDATION
        Trotula had many names by which she has been recognized in history. There is no mistake of her contributions, but this made it difficult to trace her accomplishments to the history of science to the field of medicine. There is no question of women professor’s at the University of Salerno, but yet scholars dared to deny her “historical reality.” Because of such hostility toward women in her time, her very existence has been denied and some of her work credited to male writers. One scholar, John Benton has written many article’s on the historical evidence of Trotula. Some have speculated whether or not Trotula was even a women. Others refer to her as a "fictional character."  It may even be appropriate to give credit to Trotula for her frank approach to the female body and its sexuality. Trotula may have been recognized during her life, but was it enough for the major contributions she made to the study of medicine. Trotula was a strong pillar to the study of medicine which we have recognized in the history of science.  Trotula may not have written much of her work in gynecology, but the work she is recognized for was the basis for  modern medicine we still see and use today.  It is sad to think that a woman of such knowledge and contributions to the medical feild was thought to never exist., but what little of we know of her has proven that very thing...her existence in the history of science.


LINKS:
My PROJECT Page...

Any Questions and/or Suggestions Please Email Erica Sheldon: erica-sheldon@ouhsc.edu

NOTES:
     
        Primary Source:
             -  Trotula. The Diseases of Women. Trans. Elizabeth Mason-Hohl. Los Angeles: Ward Ritshie, 1940. Trotula's manuscript, Passionibus                   mulierum curandorum, was originally printed by Paulus Manutius in Venice in 1547.

        Secondary Sources:
             -  Harvey Ogilvie, The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science (New York, NY, 2000), Vol.2, pgs. 1304-1305.
             -  Elizabeth H. Oakes, International Encyclopedia of Women Scientists (New York, Facts on File, INC.), pg. 360.


                --The primary source was a great source of information to learn the beginnings of what we call gynecology.  I used an example of a common                     medical practice Trotula advicated for women.  The secondary sources had general background information about Trotula. Most important                 was the idea that she was a fictional character or regarded as not exizting in history. This may be due to the fact that she was a very intelligent                 woman supporting the health of other women. This may not have settled well with men in her time, she was just as if not more successful and                         smarter than they were.