["porci habent squinantiam" (Ibn Sina)--a contribution to the history of swine therapeutics in the Middle Ages].

In the Middle Ages and in the early modern ages the knowledge of the diagnosis and therapy of porcine diseases mostly based on an ancient body of thought that was adopted in a more or less mutilated form. This fact is not only reflected in the books of the scholars, but also in the written records of the public animal medicine. The traditional magic medicine with its rich drug supply as well as with its prayers, blessings for the animals and emergency fires as they are called holds an important role among this public animal medicine. Only in a few cases it is possible to make a historical diagnosis due to the lack of the description of symptoms. Besides, it is difficult to judge the drugs that were used for prophylaxis and therapy with regard to the possible effects. On the basis of Latin, English and German sources from the 9th to 15th century comments are revealed on the early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of febrile general diseases and parasitic infestations of pigs. In a review it is tried to discuss the basic problems of interpretation.