OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGICAL DISEASES IN BYZANTIUM (AD 324-1453) - INFORMATION FROM NONMEDICAL LITERARY SOURCES

The knowledge of the Byzantine physicians in the field of otorhinolary ngology and especially of the eminent ones, Oribasius, Aetius of Ameda , Paul of Aegina and Alexander of Tralles is noteworthy. They knew an adequate number of diseases of the ear, nose and throat and treated th em with a plethora of drugs and some of them, especially tonsillitis a nd tonsillar abscess, with operations. The writer, based on the texts of the Byzantine historians and chroniclers, presents information prev iously unknown. This includes analysis of cases of an epidemic of angi na, speech defects, instances of otitis, epistaxis, ulcer of the mouth , acute laryngitis or pharyngitis and psychogenic aphonia. Most cases concern emperors and other prominent figures of the State and Church. This information complements, from the historical point of view, the s cientific knowledge of the medical writers in the field of otorhinolar yngology.