The "new medicines" from the America in the works of Nicolas Monardes (1565-1574)

Abstract

The introduction into Europe of medicinal materials from the Americas began with the first news of medicinal products from the New World, contained in works by Columbus and other writers directly involved in the discoveries (Pedro Mártir de Anglería). This initial stage was followed by a second stage of the «initial descriptions» (Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo) culminating in the contributions by Monardes and F. Hernández in the second half of the sixteenth century. The present article examines thé three sections of the Historia Medicinal de las Cosas que se traen de nuestras Indias Occidentales que sirven en Medicina (1565-1574) by Monardes, which holds a central position in the process of introducing into Europe new medicinal materiales from the Americas. The author of this article attempts to contribute to the analysis of the contents of that work, considering the «new medicines» from the perspective of the history of therapeutics.