So far, no detailed research has been carried out on the type, extent and variety of diseases that afflicted the Cistercian community. Similarly, we know little about the order's approach to health and illness. It would be necessary to investigate the problem based on available data (e.g. determining the susceptibility of the monastic community to certain diseases), inventories and the contents of Cistercian libraries. Some libraries, e.g. in Szczyrzyc, have quite a large medical book collection. Works of this kind begin to appear in the 15th century; exceptionally valuable medical textbooks date back to the early 16th century. Analysis of their content would allow us to assess the spread of modern medical doctrines in Cistercian monasteries in Poland. We can learn about health conditions in monasteries indirectly by examining the average life expectancy of monks and its fluctuations over longer periods. By examining the influence of the Cistercians on popular attitudes towards health and disease in Poland, we can gather appropriate knowledge for the analysis of votive objects and relevant miracle motifs related to places where the Order played a significant role. As a result, it should be possible, at least to some extent, to determine the extent and incidence of certain characteristic diseases. It is also worth finding out what role religious orders played in the transfer of official, authorized medical knowledge to folk and popular culture. Any prospective study of the evolution of monastic hospitals should be based on a thorough examination of contemporary religious, social and political ideas that determined the shape of Cistercian institutional health care.
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