Hildegard von Bingen (jan 1, 1098 – sep 17, 1179)

Description:

Hildegard von Bingen (Unknown, 1098 AD - September 17, 1179) , Botanist and Physician

Life:
Also known as Saint Hildegard and the Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German Benedictine abbess, writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, visionary, and polymath of the High Middle Ages. She is considered by many in Europe to be the founder of scientific natural history in Germany. She became a nun at the Disibodenberg monastery in Germany and later fought and won the right to establish her own monastery in 1150 AD.

Contributions to Science:
It was during her time at the monastery leading the monastery's herbal garden and infirmary, where she gained practical skills in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, she combined physical treatment of physical diseases with holistic methods centered on "spiritual healing." Hildegard catalogued her experience from the garden and infirmary at the monastery in two works namely, Physica, and Causae et Curae. She wrote her works in Latin, which was generally rare during the times of medieval medicine. Her second book has almost 300 chapters and explores the etiology of disease as well as human sexuality, psychology, and physiology. Hildegard describes treatments for malignant and minor problems, diagnosis and prognosis, which includes instructions to check the patient's blood, pulse, urine and stool. On occasion , her text also emphasizes the importance of boiling drinking water to prevent infection.

Fun Facts:
Hildegard states that from a very young age she had experienced visions which records say is the reason her parents decided to send her to the monastery as a nun.

Death:
Hildegard was stricken with an illness that left her bedridden and paralyzed until her death in 1179 AD.

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