Science mainly medical and literature mainly medieval

Abstract

In the St. Luke`s Day Oration organised by the Malta Branch of the British Medical Association on the 18th October 1966, Prof. R.J. Beck discusses the relation between Science, from a medical theme perspective, and literature within a medieval context. Three aspects of the medieval medicine – the dependence on astronomy, the doctrine of the humours and the physiognomia are discussed. This oration mainly focuses on particular aspects of Geoffrey Chaucer’s specific literary works: Chaucer's portrait of the Doctor in the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales; The three principals in The Knight's Tale and The Man of Law`s Tale. Furthermore, captions from the book “Chaucer and the Medieval Sciences”, Clyde, W.C. (1960) are also outlined.