Renaissance Recipes Reveal DIY Science Through Proteomics and Historical Analysis
In the 16th century, medical manuals were popular among laypeople who engaged in DIY science, crafting remedies for various ailments. These manuals, filled with recipes for treating conditions like hair loss and toothaches, were not just read but actively used and annotated by "reader-practitioners." Stefan Hanss, a historian at the University of Manchester, is part of a team using proteomics to analyze protein traces left by these historical users. Their findings, published in The American Historical Review, represent the first use of proteomics to study Renaissance recipes, providing new insights into how knowledge was constructed during this period.
The interdisciplinary team, comprising archaeologists, chemists, historians, conservators, and materials scientists, analyzed trace proteins from fingerprints on medical manuals. This approach, combined with archival research, places the scientific results in historical context. Hanss notes that the era was marked by a shift from purely book-learned knowledge to hands-on experimentation, a key element of Renaissance culture. The manuscripts, covered in marginalia, reflect this experimental spirit.
Recent advances in analytical techniques have allowed researchers to create molecular records of historical cultures. For example, scientists have used microbial analysis to study artworks, such as Leonardo da Vinci's drawings, to understand their unique microbiomes and potentially slow deterioration. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics, a newer technique, offers detailed characterization of protein residues, requiring less sample material than other methods. This technique has been used to discover that beer byproducts were used as canvas primers during the Danish Golden Age. Hanss and his team are now applying it to Renaissance medical manuals.
The study's roots trace back to an event called "Microscopic Records," which Hanss organized to bring together experts from various fields. Inspired by a master class on proteomics, Hanss initiated a project to analyze Renaissance recipes. The team focused on two 1531 German medical manuals by Bartholomäus Vogtherr, which are part of the John Rylands Research Institute and Library's collection. These manuals, written in the vernacular, offered remedies for a range of ailments and encouraged at-home experimentation.
In 16th-century Augsburg, a hub of printing and medical innovation, experimentation was widespread. The Rylands copies of Vogtherr's manuals, filled with notes and comments, suggest they were used for personal experiments. This genre of medical manuals was relatively new at the time, promoting a kind of everyday DIY science. The study of these manuals through proteomics and historical analysis sheds light on the vibrant medical marketplace of the period and the evolving ways people constructed and shared knowledge.