RESUMO
The term scrofula was used for a long time to designate a chronic swelling of cervical lymph nodes. This paper outlines the prevalent ideas on the nature, pathogenesis and the treatment of this disorder, from classical Greek medicine up to the 18th century. A Hippocratic treatise regarded scrofula as produced by an accumulation of phlegm, with a consequent imbalance or dyscrasia of the body humors. It was believed that it could heal spontaneously; but it could also soften, open through the skin and have an obstinate course. The treatment consisted mainly on local applications, incision to evacuate the soft content, or extirpation of the abnormal mass. In France and England, crowds of scrofulous patients were touched by the kings who were supposed to have a hereditary miraculous power to cure the disease. A Medieval text mentioned that scrofula could also affect other parts of the body. In the 17th century, scrofula was reputed as a frequent condition and was attributed to blood acrimony which coagulated in spongy organs. It was associated to phthisis or consumption due to the lethal outcome in some patients and to a cheese-like appearance of the pulmonary and the scrofulous lesions.
Assuntos
Doença de Rei/história , Tuberculose dos Linfonodos/história , Tuberculose dos Linfonodos/patologia , História do Século XV , História do Século XVI , História do Século XVII , História do Século XVIII , História Antiga , História Medieval , Humanos , Toque Terapêutico/história , Tuberculose dos Linfonodos/terapiaRESUMO
The term scrofula was used for a long time to designate a chronic swelling of cervical lymph nodes. This paper outlines the prevalent ideas on the nature, pathogenesis and the treatment of this disorder, from classical Greek medicine up to the 18th century. A Hippocratic treatise regarded scrofula as produced by an accumulation of phlegm, with a consequent imbalance or dyscrasia of the body humors. It was believed that it could heal spontaneously; but it could also soften, open through the skin and have an obstinate course. The treatment consisted mainly on local applications, incision to evacuate the soft content, or extirpation of the abnormal mass. In France and England, crowds of scrofulous patients were touched by the kings who were supposed to have a hereditary miraculous power to cure the disease. A Medieval text mentioned that scrofula could also affect other parts of the body. In the 17th century, scrofula was reputed as a frequent condition and was attributed to blood acrimony which coagulated in spongy organs. It was associated to phthisis or consumption due to the lethal outcome in some patients and to a cheese-like appearance of the pulmonary and the scrofulous lesions.
Assuntos
Humanos , História do Século XV , História do Século XVI , História do Século XVII , História do Século XVIII , Tuberculose dos Linfonodos/história , Tuberculose dos Linfonodos/patologia , Doença de Rei/história , Tuberculose dos Linfonodos/terapia , Toque Terapêutico/história , História Antiga , História MedievalRESUMO
From the 11th century up to the beginning of the 19th century a healing rite was performed by the kings of France and England. They were considered to have a hereditary divine power to cure with their hand the scrofula, a tuberculous lymphadenitis that affects mainly cervical lymph nodes. The rite took place regularly over groups of scrofulous patients and a wide audience. The belief in that miraculous power was based on the fact that kings had been annointed and crowned in a religious ceremony, thus acquiring a priestly nature together with their temporal power. The monarchs of France and England would have stimulated their subjects' credulity to strengthen their power over the feudal lords, specially when a change of dynasty took place. Scrofula may have been chosen due to a high incidence, with an evolution that may mimick healing, and also because the concept of scrofula may have included other lesions with episodes of spontaneous remission. The available historical data and the current knowledge of tuberculous lymphadenitis do not support the belief of massive miraculous healings by the king's touch.