Scalpel et Matula

Scalpel et Matula is a French educational initiative exploring the history of medicine, surgery, and pharmacy in the Western world. Through historical presentations and activities, articles, and a blog, it invites audiences to discover how health practices and ideas developed across the centuries. Its coverage spans the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the era of Pasteur, and the First World War.

The site traces the influence of ancient Greek and Roman medicine, medieval medical learning, and the contributions of physicians and surgeons from diverse cultural backgrounds. It also highlights developments in anatomy, surgery, pharmacy, and the changing understanding of disease. Topics include Hippocratic theories, medieval treatment of injuries and conditions such as cataracts, Renaissance anatomical discoveries, vaccination, anesthesia, hygiene, and the emergence of modern medicine. The history of warfare and its effects on surgical practice also feature in the narrative, including advances in wound care and reconstructive surgery during the First World War.