THE PHYSICIAN NOT A PRIMARY
MONASTIC OFFICIAL
Sed et vos alloquor fratres egregios, qui humani corporis
salutem sedula curiositate tractatis, et confugientibus ad loca
sanctorum officia beatae pietatis impenditis, tristes passionibus
alienis, de periclitantibus maesti, susceptorum dolore
confixi, et in alienis calamitatibus merore proprio semper
attoniti; ut, sicut artis vestrae peritia docet, languentibus
sincero studio serviatis, ab illo mercedem recepturi, a quo
possunt pro temporalibus aeterna retribui. . . .
I salute you, distinguished brothers, who with sedulous
care look after the health of the human body and perform
the function of blessed piety for those who flee to the
shrine of holy men—you who are sad at the sufferings of
others, sorrowful for those who are in danger, grieved at
the pain of those who are received, and always distressed
with personal sorrow at the misfortunes of others . . .
Cassiodorus,
Institutiones I, chap. 31.
[368]
The Rule of St. Benedict contains no clue as to whether a
monastery was to be provided with a permanent staff of
physicians,[369]
and all later available sources disclose without
any shadow of doubt that the physician stood outside the
hierarchy of the monastery's regular administrative officers
(provost, dean, porter, cellarer, chamberlain, infirmarer,
etc.). The title carried no official status; but was granted to
monks, who by their special studies and devotion had
demonstrated unusual proficiency and knowledge in the
art of healing.
