Exploring Collections: Johannes Ganivet’s Amicus medicorum at
the College of Physicians Posted by Darin Hayton on 07/18 at
10:41 PM According to Lynn Thorndike in “the field of
astrological medicine, probably the most influential treatise
composed in Europe during the fifteenth century was the Friend
of Physicians (Amicus medicorum) written by Jean Ganivet in
1431.”1 Ganivet’s text was first printed in 1496 and was
reprinted in 1508, 1550, 1596, and 1614. In The Historical
Medical Library at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
there is a copy of each of the first three editions of Ganivet’s
Amicus medicorum. Interestingly, each of these first three
editions is consecutively smaller. Ganivet states clearly in his
preface his intentions: Here begins a brief treatise to guide
physicians in the practice of medicine with reference to the
influence of the heavens both in time of epidemic and at other
times of the year so that the physicians may themselves know the
hours and times when they should give medicin