Full Papers
Gout in Duke Federico of Montefeltro (1422-1482): a new pearl of the Italian Renaissance
A. Fornaciari1, V. Giuffra2, E. Armocida3, D. Caramella4, F.J. Rühli5, F.M. Galassi6
- Division of Paleopathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy. antoniofornaciari77@gmail.com
- Division of Paleopathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy.
- University of Bologna, Italy.
- Division of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy.
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
CER10392
2018 Vol.36, N°1
PI 0015, PF 0020
Full Papers
Free to view
(click on article PDF icon to read the article)
PMID: 29461958 [PubMed]
Received: 08/03/2017
Accepted : 22/12/2017
In Press: 31/01/2018
Published: 05/02/2018
Abstract
The article examines the truthfulness of historical accounts claiming that Renaissance Duke Federico of Montefeltro (1422-1482) suffered from gout. By direct paleopathological assessment of the skeletal remains and by the philological investigation of historical and documental sources, primarily a 1461 handwritten letter by the Duke himself to his personal physician, a description of the symptoms and Renaissance therapy is offered and a final diagnosis of gout is formulated. The Duke’s handwritten letter offers a rare testimony of ancient clinical self-diagnostics and Renaissance living-experience of gout. Moreover, the article also shows how an alliance between historical, documental and paleopathological methods can greatly increase the precision of retrospective diagnoses, thus helping to shed clearer light onto the antiquity and evolution of diseases.
