Introduction to “The World of Daniel Sennert (1572–1637): Creation and Dissemination of Medical Knowledge in the Seventeenth Century” (Special Issue)

This special issue uses the career and achievements of one of the most important medical scholars of the early seventeenth century, Daniel Sennert, to construct a systematic analysis of how medical knowledge was created and disseminated in the early modern era. Sennert (1572–1637) was one of the most prolific, innovative and influential physicians of the period. A professor at Wittenberg, he played an important part in developing a precocious corpuscularian theory, transformed medicine through the use of chymistry, and worked in anatomy and botany. He published numerous successful medical handbooks and treatises, wrote about everyday medical practice, and had more than one hundred students who spread his methods and ideas through large parts of Europe. His writings and teachings combined classical medicine and new empirical knowledge, enriching and elaborating the views of such canonical medical authors as Galen, Hippocrates, and Aristotle. This special issue explores the multi-faceted legacy of Sennert by examining his contributions to medical theory and practice, his intellectual engagements, and the mechanisms of knowledge transmission in the seventeenth century.