Loomad Rootsi-aegse Tartu ülikooli meditsiinitöödes

Abstract

At the Swedish-period University of Tartu there were four medical works which described or mentioned animals in some connection. Animals were often used as metaphors in these works in order to draw parallels with humans. In this connection animals were rather considered to be inferior to humans as it was typical to the early modern period. In the medical works of the 17th century University of Tartu veterinary medicine is mentioned and also the use of animals as a source of remedies or even animals as their own doctors, teaching the humans how to heal certain diseases. There are hints to animals in scientific experiments. In the medical work Dissertatio prima de oeconomia corporis animalis, originating from 1698, the development of early modern physiology can be observed. There is a clear difference between the works which were compiled in the first half of the 17th century and the dissertation written at the end of the same century. The works that were written earlier were mostly based on ancient authors, whereas the dissertation from the end of the 17th century delivers empirical knowledge. Thus animals had their impact on the medicine of the 17th century University of Tartu as well as on the way of talking and writing about medicine.