Anette Löffler: Den Grundlagen auf der Spur. Die Erforschung der mittelalterlichen medizinischen Handschriften in Leipzig durch Karl Sudhoff und Henry Ernest Sigerist

Tracing back for the basis. Research of Medieval medical manuscripts in Leipzig by Karl Sudhoff and Henry Ernest Sigerist

At the beginning of the 20th century, two known medical historians, Karl Sudhoff and Henry Ernst Sigerist, were among the first persons, who took up thorough investigations of medical manuscripts in Leipzig. Above all, it was Mr. Sudhoff, who developed his own procedure, in order to exploit the unknown stocks. Apart from the only means available to him, the so-called Leyser-papers, written by the Leipzig librarian Hermann Leyser, at least once Sudhoff made a complete check-up of all manuscripts over the period of 22 years. On 315 sheets he took down various more or less extensive notes regarding these Codices, which are kept today as manuscript collection (Ms 01269) in the library of the university of Leipzig. Many publications were written on the basis of these readings.

Sigerist was only looking through a small number of Leipzig manuscripts, as could be seen from his remarks written onto the users’ cards. However, he could rely on Sudhoff’s notes and look for specific manuscripts that he was interested in and review them.

This was a first and very important step for the investigation of Leipzig medical manuscripts.

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