Miraculous healings of paralysis: a preliminary study on sources
Muzur, A.; Rincić, I.
Collegium Antropologicum 37(1): 23-27
2013
ISSN/ISBN: 0350-6134 PMID: 23697246 Document Number: 666575
The aim of the present paper has been to explore the medieval evidence on miraculous healings of paralysis and to confront it with modern medical knowledge. Paralysis has been selected as a model for such a study and St. Bernardino of Siena (1380-1444) as a model of a saintly healer. Analyzed were the primary sources and modern literature. Paralysis was found to be among the most frequent diseases in medieval miracle reports, including the healings by St. Bernardino. According to the hypothesis offered in the paper, the majority of medieval cases of "miraculously healed paralysis" was of conversive origin.