Amatus Lusitanus (pseudonym of João Rodrigues). Curationum Medicinalum. Centuriae duae, quinta videlicet ac sexta (A collection of medical case histories)

(MEDICINE)

ex Officina Valgrisiana

Venice

1560

FIRST EDITION. One volume in a multi-volume series Centuriae. Extensive Latin marginalia in pen

Adams A-917; Friedenwald (1946), p. 36

Amatus Lusitanus (1511-1568?), arguably the most distinguished physician of his age, was a Marrano born in Castello Branco, Portugal, who openly returned to Judaism in Ancona, Italy. Always one step ahead of the Inquisition, Amatus finally fled to the friendlier clime of Ottoman Salonica, where it is believed, he succumbed to plague in 1568. In this volume, the sixth Centuria, there are tell-tale signs of Amatus’ fidelity to Judaism: The colophon on p. 380 is datelined “Thessalonica (Salonica), 1559, and in the year of creation, 5319.” Also the final three pages provide an oath Lusitanus attempted to institute, sort of a Jewish version of the Hippocratic oath, invoking the Ten Commandments. Appropriately enough, these lines (as well as the line “I have given my services in equal manner to all, to Hebrews, Christians and Muslims”) were struck by the ever-watchful Church censor. See Harry Friedenwald, The Jews and Medicine I (1967), pp. 332-380; Natalia Berger (ed.) Jews and Medicine (Philadelphia, 1995), pp. 89-97