ABSTRACT
The care of the sick has had a long and close association with religious life, giving it a vocational status that it has been slow to lose. Christians were required to perform the works of mercy, and offering care to the sick became associated with charity, saintliness and piety. The important spiritual component perceived to be bound up in the care of the sick was epitomised in the obituary of Guido, a thirteenth-century laybrother at S. Maria Novella in Florence, which recorded that he was nicknamed 'Galen' by his fellows because of the God-given ability he had to look after the sick. The efficient organisation of duties was seen as a key factor in running a successful infirmary and Humbert considered every aspect of the patients' care. The manuscript that contains the infirmary inventory provides details of equipment provided at S. Domenico, including bedding.
