Paul of Aegina: The Epitome of Medicine

Paul of Aegina was one of the most prominent Byzantine physicians He wrote a seven volume Epitome of Medicine. In his opinion, cancer of the breast and uterus were the most common. In the sixth book of the Epitome, exclusively to do with surgery, he asserted that surgery on uterine cancer was useless. For breast cancer, he recommended removal as opposed to cauterization.1 2

• 1Morton, Leslie T., and Moore, Robert J. A Chronology of Medicine and Related Sciences. Aldershot, England: Scholar Press, 1997
• 2Gurunluoglu, R., and Gurunluoglu, A. "Paul of Aegina: Landmark in Surgical Progress." World Journal of Surgery. 27 (2003): 18-25. [PUBMED]