[Burn treatment in the renaissance by Fabricius Hildanus--a historical appraisal]

A first comprehensive textbook on burns treatment was written in 1607 by Fabry of Hilden (Fabricius Hildanus). This monograph describes cause, diagnosis, treatment, and complications of burn injuries. Besides a variety of topical ointments with promising herbal ingredients like onion and camphor, surgical procedures like necrectomies, escharotomies and syndactely treatment are described for the first time ever. Scar management including splinting devices is another interesting topic. Some of the therapeutic procedures are still valid today. Thus this renaissance piece of medical writing belongs to the pedigree of surgery.