Ophthalmodouleia - Augendienst

Ophthalmodouleia - Augendienst

Georg Bartisch (1535-1607) was an important physician of the German Renaissance in Dresden and achieved fame above all through his ophthalmological work Ophthalmodouleia - Augendienst, which is the oldest comprehensive textbook in German on this subject. As the son of a common surgeon, he was unable to obtain an academic education - which is probably why he never learned Latin. Nevertheless, after completing his apprenticeship as a barber and surgeon, he became a well-known ophthalmologist. He not only worked as court oculist to Elector Augustus I of Saxony (1526-1586), but also developed his own instruments, which repeatedly appear in the woodcuts of the Ophthalmodouleia.

Modern Ophthalmology against Witchcraft

The main topic of the treatise dedicated to Elector Augustus is gray cataracts, which Bartisch classifies according to their color: gray, white, black, blue, green and yellow. However, he also discusses other eye diseases such as conjunctivitis and countless own recipes for ointments for all kinds of complaints. Each eye disease and the corresponding treatment are thoroughly described, including surgical practices and the instruments used. Despite the great innovation of the text and the methods described, Bartisch also adhered to traditional, superstitious ideas. For example, he advises doctors to consider the astrological conditions before every intervention and sees the causes of illness sometimes in magic and witchcraft.

92 Impressive Woodcuts

As Bartisch was initially unable to find anyone willing to publish the work, he took matters into his own hands and had the textbook printed by Matthes Stoeckel in Dresden in 1583 at his own expense. To illustrate it, he probably commissioned Hans Hewamaul (H. H.) to produce 92 remarkable woodcuts based on his own drawings, which visualize anatomical aspects as well as the treatment methods and instruments described. Particularly noteworthy are two multi-layered illustrations, on which fold-out flaps are applied, which gradually make different "levels" of the anatomy of the head and eyeball comprehensible. The woodcuts also provide an insight into the interior design and fashion of the time, as the patients' clothing in particular was depicted with great attention to detail. This makes the Ophthalmodouleia not only an outstanding testimony to modern medical history, but also a fascinating Renaissance work of art.