Qualis sit nutrix eligenda: a ama de leite no De universa mulierum medicina de Rodrigo de Castro

Abstract

Even though some doubts have been cast on the practice of breastfeeding up to the end of the 19^th century, the debate on its physiological, moral and social implications has spanned over Antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and has turned into a recurrent topic in treatises dealing with the nature, conditions and diseases of women. In this article, we analyze the influence of both ancient authors and authors who were coeval with Rodrigo de Castro (c. 1546-1627/29?) on his treatise entitled De universa mulierum medicina, so as to identify the longstanding elements incorporated by the Portuguese doctor in his work.