Third Century Leg Transplant

Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers and physicians, who were beheaded for their Christian beliefs in 287 CE, and then became saints. Hardly anything else is known about them, but a story about one of their medical cases had become legend. A Russian blogger tells the story, machine-translated:  

This episode is described in the text of an incunabula from the life of the saints, which appeared in Augsburg in 1489, as follows: "One person suffered from foot disease. Medications did not help.

Once in a dream, he appeared to both saints. With them they had a surgical instrument and ointment. One asked the other: "Where should we take a foot to replace this?" He replied: "Today they will bury a black Moor with a healthy leg." The first one said: "Bring it." He cut off the foot of the Moor, put it to the foot of the patient and heavily applied the ointment.
A sick leg put the Moor in the coffin.

When the patient woke up, the pain did not happen. He got up and ordered his servants to bring candles. He always told me what had happened to him. People ran to the coffin of the Moor and saw a cut off leg. They rejoiced at the miracle that was accomplished and thanked God and the saints of Cosmas and Damian with fervor. "

From perusing the many images in the post, I believe that "A sick leg put the Moor in the coffin" means that they buried the patient's amputated leg with the Moor. Cosmas and Damian are now regarded as patron saints of doctors. -via TYWKIWDBI


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