Cover of Of Medicine, in Eight Books

Of Medicine, in Eight Books

by Aulus Cornelius Celsus

Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"Of Medicine, in Eight Books" by Aulus Cornelius Celsus is a medical treatise written in the 1st century CE. The only surviving section of a larger encyclopedia, it presents ancient knowledge on diet, disease diagnosis, pharmacology, and surgery. The work details treatments ranging from herbal remedies to surgical procedures like cataract removal and amputation. Lost for centuries after the Middle Ages, it became the first medical book ever printed in 1478, preserving invaluable insights into Alexandrian medicine and Roman medical practice.

  • Medicine, Greek and Roman

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #64207. Of Medicine, in Eight Books on Wikipedia.