Hugh of Lucca

Hugh of Lucca and his son, Theodoric of Lucca, are noted for their use of wine as an antiseptic in the early 13th century.

Hugh of Lucca
Hugh of Lucca was appointed surgeon for Bologna in Italy in 1214 for a salary of 600 Bolognini per year. His contract required that he serve the army in times of war, and in the Fifth Crusade he joined the army in Egypt. He discovered, probably through empirical observation (there was no notion of infection by germs at this time), that wine was very effective at cleaning a wound and preventing infection. Regardless of what Hugh asserted, many surgeons still used ointments, or just cauterisation.

Theodoric of Lucca
Hugh's son described how new methods of dealing with wounds were being developed by "clever and ingenious surgeons". He often criticised accepted methods.