Virdimura

Virdimura (fl. 1376) was a Sicilian Jewish doctor, the first woman officially certified to practice medicine in Sicily.[1]

Biography

Though few biographical details of Virdimura are known, she was a Jewish woman living in Catania, Sicily, in the 14th century.[2][3]

She was trained in the practice of Jewish medicine, perhaps by her husband, Pasquale de Medico of Catania, who was also thought to be a physician.[2][3][4][5][6]

She obtained a royal license to practice medicine across the island of Sicily on November 7, 1376, with the approval of the doctors of King Frederick's royal court.[7][8] Virdimura was asked to complete exams for the certification.[6] Her patients also testified on her behalf, and the licensing documentation notes that the examiners took into consideration the "praise universally given her."[9][10]

With this, she became the first woman physician with this designation on the island. She subsequently traveled throughout Sicily treating patients.[2]

Virdimura particularly focused on treating poor and disabled patients, charging them less for her services than her male contemporaries.[2][4] This also likely meant that she treated both female and male patients, and both Jews and gentiles.[6][11]

Legacy

The International Virdimura Award, which recognizes doctors with a humanitarian mission, is named for her.[1]

A square in Catania, in the San Giovanni Galermo district, was also named in her honor in 2020.[12]

References
  1. Stranges, Paola (2020-07-25). "Virdimura Award to Corinne Devin, from Miss United States to the Marines". Italiani. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  2. Vecchio Ignazio, Di Mauro S., Tornali Cristina, Rampello L., Migliore M., (2013). "Jewish Medicine and Surgery in Catania, Italy Before 1492". Acta Medica Mediterranea. 29: 359.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Simonsohn, Shlomo, 1923-2019. (2011). Between Scylla and Charybdis : the Jews in Sicily. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-19245-4. OCLC 729724688.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Whaley, Leigh Ann. (2011). Women and the practice of medical care in early modern Europe, 1400-1800. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-230-28291-9. OCLC 646112089.
  5. Shatzmiller, Joseph. (1994). Jews, medicine, and medieval society. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-08059-9. OCLC 27380634.
  6. Roth, Cecil (1953). "The Qualification of Jewish Physicians in the Middle Ages". Speculum. 28 (4): 834–843. doi:10.2307/2849209. ISSN 0038-7134.
  7. Bartolomeo Lagumina, Giuseppe Lagumina (1884). Codice diplomatico dei giudei di Sicilia (in Italian). University of Michigan. Tip. di M. Amenta. p. 99.
  8. The Jews in Sicily. Simonsohn, Shlomo, 1923-2019,. Leiden. 2000. ISBN 90-04-10977-3. OCLC 37814203.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  9. Women in world history : a biographical encyclopedia. Commire, Anne., Klezmer, Deborah. Waterford, CT: Yorkin Publications. 1999–2002. ISBN 0-7876-3736-X. OCLC 41108563.CS1 maint: others (link) CS1 maint: date format (link)
  10. Taitz, Emily. (2003). The JPS guide to Jewish women : 600 B.C.E.to 1900 C.E. Henry, Sondra., Tallan, Cheryl. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society. ISBN 978-0-8276-0974-7. OCLC 676699912.
  11. OLIVERI, FABIO; אוליבירי, פאביו (1993). "נשים יהודיות בסיציליה הקדומה ובימי הביניים / JEWISH WOMEN IN ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL SICILY". Proceedings of the World Congress of Jewish Studies / דברי הקונגרס העולמי למדעי היהדות. יא: 130–134. ISSN 0333-9068.
  12. "Catania, nuovi nomi per alcune vie e piazze: ecco quali cambieranno". LiveUniCT (in Italian). 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
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