From a general perspective Galenism - che mcdical body of knowledge articulated by
che Grcck physician Galen (129-2uh16) and completcd by his followers - seems to be a
homogeneous doctrinal corpus, particularly conccrning pachology. In medieval Europe
Galenism was acccpted unquestioningly as che medical orthodoxy but che Renaissance,
wich its characteristic intellectual autonomy, brought about a reappraisal of Greek
medicine. Renaissancc Galenism has rightly been considered disputatious, with scholars
of che time qucstioning received wisdom and encouraging dissent from mainstream
mcdical practices, such as blood-letting. Even marginal tenets were open to discussion,
partkularly among minor auchors. This paper will explore a particular controversy of
chis pcriod by examining a series of Spanish medical texts written between 1555 and
1576. The cexts relace to dietecics and, in particular, to che issue of cold-drinking, che
focus of chis paper.
