The strange destiny of Caterina de’ Medici and a case of puerperal fever in the sixteenth century

Abstract

The aim of this study is the reconstruction of a case of puerperal fever, which affected the mother of Caterina de’ Medici, the future Queen of France, in 1519. Only unpublished data found in the Archives were used, to follow the onset and the development of the disease, offering a glimpse into medical perception of the time. The description of the case provides interesting points of contact with modern medicine.

Keywords:

• Puerperal fever
• history of medicine
• Caterina de' Medici

Declaration of interest: The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.