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Metrodora diagnosed sythergy

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Metrodora

Theme: Vocabulary about women's diseases

Competencies

Competence in Linguistic Communication

Multilingual Competence

Mathematical competence in science, technology and engineering

Personal, social and learning to learn competence

Competence in cultural awareness and expressions

Subjects and year by Educational System

Spain > Classical culture > 4th ESO > The survival of classical languages. Language and lexicon

Enunciation

<img title="Women's Legacy logo" src="//inclusion.womenslegacyproject.eu/images/LogoWL.svg" /><hr />Read this excerpt about Metrodora, a doctor of Greek origin who exercised the profession in the 1st century AD in Rome. Then answer the questions:
From the 2nd century AD, some Roman women began to rebel against forced marriages and the total lack of freedom. Thus the philosopher Favourite denounces in his writings the madness that has entered the women of his time: "Not only do they refuse to breastfeed their children, but they resort to a thousand tricks so as not to be mothers." &nbsp;Metrodora, a Greek physician who practised in Rome in the 1st century of our era, wrote a treatise on women's diseases, describing in the chapter dedicated to young women the concept of "sythergy", a Greek word that means rejection of food.&nbsp;
Our own translation from: S&aacute;enz, Margarita (2003). &ldquo;Cuerpo y g&eacute;nero&rdquo; in Norte de Salud Mental, 17, pp. 17-21, &lt;<a href="https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/4830408.pdf">https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/4830408.pdf</a>&gt;
1.- How do you think marriage and imposed motherhood can influence eating disorders in young Roman women?
2.- Look at these roots and suffixes of Greek origin and form two current words related to the topic.
a/an&lt; &alpha;/&alpha;&nu; (deprivation), bu &lt; &beta;&omicron;ῦ&sigmaf; (ox), limia&lt; &lambda;&iota;&mu;ό&sigmaf; (hunger), orexia &lt; ὄ&rho;&epsilon;&xi;&iota;&sigmaf; (appetite).
3.- Next, you have a list of diseases, processes or interventions that are specific to women or that affect them more directly. Match the meaning of the Greek etymons and try to define the word. Then look in a dictionary and complete the definitions.
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Amenorrhea: a/an &lt; &alpha;/&alpha;&nu; (deprivation) + men &lt; &mu;ή&nu; (month) + reo &lt; ῥέ&omega; (flow).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Arthritis: artron &lt; ἄ&rho;&theta;&rho;&omicron;&nu; (joint) + suffix &ndash;itis &lt; -ῖ&tau;&iota;&sigmaf; (inflammation).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Headache (cefalalgia): cefale &lt; &kappa;&epsilon;&phi;&alpha;&lambda;ή (head) + algos &lt; ἄ&lambda;&gamma;&omicron;&sigmaf; (pain).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cystitis: cistis &lt; &kappa;ύ&sigma;&tau;&iota;&sigmaf; (bladder) + suffix &ndash;it is &lt; -ῖ&tau;&iota;&sigmaf; (inflammation).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dysmenorrhea: dis &lt; &delta;&upsilon;&sigmaf;- (mal) + men &lt; &mu;ή&nu;/&mu;&eta;&nu;ό&sigmaf; (lunar month) + reo &lt; ῥέ&omega; (flow).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Endometriosis: endo &lt; ἔ&nu;&delta;&omicron;&nu; (inside) + metra &lt; &mu;ή&tau;&rho;&alpha; (matriz) + suffix &ndash;osis &lt;
&nbsp;-&omega;&sigma;&iota;&sigmaf; (pathological process).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Spondylitis: spondylo &lt; &sigma;&pi;ό&nu;&delta;&upsilon;&lambda;&omicron;&sigmaf; + suffix &ndash;itis &lt; &ndash;ῖ&tau;&iota;&sigmaf; (inflammation).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fibromyalgia: fibra &lt; Latin fiber + mio (muscle) + algos ἄ&lambda;&gamma;&omicron;&sigmaf; (pain).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mastectomy: mastos &lt; &mu;&alpha;&sigma;&tau;ό&sigmaf; (breast) + ectome &lt; &nbsp;ἐ&kappa;&tau;&omicron;&mu;ή (amputation).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Menopause: men &lt; &mu;ή&nu; (month) + pausis &lt; &pi;&alpha;ῦ&sigma;&iota;&sigmaf; (cessation).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Myoma: mio &lt; &mu;ῦ&sigmaf;/&mu;&upsilon;ό&sigmaf; (muscle) + suffix &ndash;oma &lt;&ndash; &omega;&mu;&alpha; (tumor).
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Osteoporosis: osteo &lt; ὀ&sigma;&tau;έ&omicron;&nu; (bone) + poros &lt; &pi;ό&rho;&omicron;&sigmaf; (pore) suffix &ndash;osis &lt; &ndash;&omega;&sigma;&iota;&sigmaf; (pathological process).
&nbsp;4.- The etymons metra &lt; &mu;ή&tau;&rho;&alpha; (matrix) and histera &lt; ὑ&sigma;&tau;έ&rho;&alpha;) are synonyms and are very present in the medical lexicon.
a.- Match each term to its definition: metralgia, metroscopic, metrotomy, metrorthosis, metropathy.
- &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Matrix-related condition:
- &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Womb incision:
- &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Correction of a deviation of the matrix:
- &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Womb pain:
- &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Matrix scan:
b.- What disease derived from the etymon histera has been considered throughout history a disease of women, especially when they did not comply with established social roles? What derived adjective is still applied in a pejorative sense to women?
5.- Do you think that medical science should take gender differences into account, when women's chronic problems are still considered inferior, their symptoms are confused or minimized, and their complaints are frequently attributed to psychological causes? Give reasons for your answer.
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Observations and context

Women gatherers in prehistoric times discovered and applied the healing properties of plants. In Egypt, before 3000 BC, there were already female physicians or surgeons, and by 1500 BC, the schools of Sais and Heliopolis were open to women like Sephora and Queen Hatsepshut. In Mesopotamia, healers were very important and in Greek cities there were female doctors and surgeons, but their role was restricted to that of midwives. Popular medicine also stood out: one of the first herbalists was Artemisia II of Caria. In Athens, in the 4th century BC, women were prevented from practicing medicine, accusing them of performing abortions. The figure of Agnodica appeared in this context. In Rome, there were many female physicians who also wrote treatises, such as Elephantis, Lais, Olympias of Thebes, Antiochis and Metrodora. Among the women who wrote about gynaecology and obstetrics, the texts of Cleopatra and Aspasia were the most important until the work of Trotula in the 11th century.

Metrodora diagnosed sythergy

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