Médecine et histoire naturelle

Abstract

The paper analyses how the work of Francisco Hernández (ca. 1514-1587) was constructed throughout the seven years he worked in Mexico, sent by Philip II as part of a profound renewal of government forms in the colonial domains, in a project which was at the same time—and not always in a harmonious way—his personal project and that which had been commanded by the royal power. Through this case study, we intend to reflect on the plurality of conceptions on what natural history was for 16th century European trained physicians, how to practice it and, above all, how to write it.

Keywords

• medicine
• natural history
• Europe
• New World
• scientific travel
• sixteenth century