the evolution of modern medicine-第12章
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er of Cyrus and wife of Darius； of a severe abscess of the breast； but on condition that she help him to escape； and she induced her husband to send an expedition of exploration to Greece under the guidance of Democedes； but with the instructions at all costs to bring back the much prized physician。 From Tarentum； Democedes escaped to his native city； but the Persians followed him； and it was with the greatest difficulty that he escaped from their hands。 Deprived of their guide； the Persians gave up the expedition and sailed for Asia。 In palliation of his flight； Democedes sent a message to Darius that he was engaged to the daughter of Milo； the wrestler； who was in high repute with the King。＇6＇
＇6＇ The well…known editor of Herodotus； R。 W。 Macan； Master of University College； Oxford； in his Hellenikon。 A Sheaf of Sonnets after Herodotus （Oxford； 1898） has included a poem which may be quoted in connection with this incident：
NOSTALGY Atossa； child of Cyrus king of kings； healed by Greek science of a morbid breast； gave lord Dareios neither love nor rest till he fulfilled her vain imaginings。 〃Sir； show our Persian folk your sceptre's wings！ Enlarge my sire's and brother's large bequest。 This learned Greek shall guide your galleys west； and Dorian slave…girls grace our banquetings。〃 So said she； taught of that o'er…artful man； the Italiote captive； Kroton's Demokede； who recked not what of maladies began； nor who in Asia and in Greece might bleed； if heso writes the guileless Thurian regained his home； and freedom of the Mede。
Plato has several references to these state physicians； who were evidently elected by a public assembly： 〃When the assembly meets to elect a physician；〃 and the office was yearly； for in 〃The Statesman〃 we find the following：＇7＇ 〃When the year of office has expired； the pilot； or physician has to come before a court of review〃 to answer any charges。 The physician must have been in practice for some time and attained eminence； before he was deemed worthy of the post of state physician。
＇7＇ Jowett： Dialogues of Plato； 3d ed。； Statesman； Vol。 IV； p。 502 （Stephanus； II； 298 E）
〃If you and I were physicians； and were advising one another that we were competent to practice as state…physicians； should I not ask about you； and would you not ask about me； Well； but how about Socrates himself； has he good health？ and was anyone else ever known to be cured by him whether slave or freeman？〃＇7a＇
＇7a＇ Jowett： Dialogues of Plato； 3d ed。； Gorgias； Vol。 II； p。 407 （Stephanus； I； 514 D）。
All that is known of these state physicians has been collected by Pohl；＇8＇ who has traced their evolution into Roman times。 That they were secular； independent of the AEsculapian temples； that they were well paid； that there was keen competition to get the most distinguished men； that they were paid by a special tax and that they were much esteemed are facts to be gleaned from Herodotus and from the inscriptions。 The lapidary records； extending over 1000 years； collected by Professor Oehler＇8a＇ of Reina； throw an important light on the state of medicine in Greece and Rome。 Greek vases give representations of these state doctors at work。 Dr。 E。 Pottier has published one showing the treatment of a patient in the clinic。＇8b＇
＇8＇ R。 Pohl： De Graecorum medicis publicis； Berolini； Reimer； 1905； also Janus； Harlem； 1905； X； 491…494。
＇8a＇ J Oehler： Janus； Harlem； 1909； XIV； 4； 111。
＇8b＇ E。 Pottier： Une clinique grecque au Ve siecle； Monuments et Memoires； XIII； p。 149。 Paris； 1906 （Fondation Eugene Piot）。
That dissections were practiced by this group of nature philosophers is shown not only by the studies of Alcmaeon； but we have evidence that one of the latest of them； Diogenes of Apollonia； must have made elaborate dissections。 In the 〃Historia Animalium〃＇9＇ of Aristotle occurs his account of the blood vessels； which is by far the most elaborate met with in the literature until the writings of Galen。 It has； too； the great merit of accuracy （if we bear in mind the fact that it was not until after Aristotle that arteries and veins were differentiated）； and indications are given as to the vessels from which blood may be drawn。
＇9＇ The Works of Aristotle； Oxford； Clarendon Press； Vol。 IV； 1910； Bk。 III； Chaps。 II…IV； pp。 511b…515b。
ASKLEPIOS
No god made with hands； to use the scriptural phrase； had a more successful 〃run〃 than Asklepiosfor more than a thousand years the consoler and healer of the sons of men。 Shorn of his divine attributes he remains our patron saint； our emblematic God of Healing； whose figure with the serpents appears in our seals and charters。 He was originally a Thessalian chieftain； whose sons； Machaon and Podalirius； became famous physicians and fought in the Trojan War。 Nestor； you may remember； carried off the former； declaring； in the oft…quoted phrase； that a doctor was better worth saving than many warriors unskilled in the treatment of wounds。 Later genealogies trace his origin to Apollo；＇10＇ as whose son he is usually regarded。 〃In the wake of northern tribes this god Aesculapiusa more majestic figure than the blameless leech of Homer's songcame by land to Epidaurus and was carried by sea to the east…ward island of Cos。。。。 Aesculapius grew in importance with the growth of Greece； but may not have attained his greatest power until Greece and Rome were one。〃＇11＇
＇10＇ W。 H。 Roscher： Lexikon der griechischen und romischen Mythologie； Leipzig； 1886； I； p。 624。
＇11＇ Louis Dyer： Studies of the Gods in Greece； 1891； p。 221。
A word on the idea of the serpent as an emblem of the healing art which goes far back into antiquity。 The mystical character of the snake； and the natural dread and awe inspired by it； early made it a symbol of supernatural power。 There is a libation vase of Gudea； c。 2350 B。C。； found at Telloh； now in the Louvre （probably the earliest representation of the symbol）； with two serpents entwined round a staff （Jastrow； Pl。 4）。 From the earliest times the snake has been associated with mystic and magic power； and even today； among native races； it plays a part in the initiation of medicine men。
In Greece； the serpent became a symbol of Apollo； and prophetic serpents were kept and fed at his shrine； as well as at that of his son； Asklepios。 There was an idea； too； that snakes had a knowledge of herbs； which is referred to in the famous poem of Nikander on Theriaka。＇12＇ You may remember that when Alexander； the famous quack and oracle monger； depicted by Lucian； started out 〃for revenue；〃 the first thing he did was to provide himself with two of the large； harmless； yellow snakes of Asia Minor。
＇12＇ Lines 31； etc。； and Scholia； cf。 W。 R。 Halliday： Greek Divination； London； 1913； p。 88。
The exact date of the introduction of the cult into Greece is not known； but its great centres were at Epidaurus； Cos； Pergamos and Tricca。 It throve with wonderful rapidity。 Asklepios became one of the most popular of the gods。 By the time of Alexander it is estimated that there were between three and four hundred temples dedicated to him。
His worship was introduced into Rome at the time of the Great Plague at the beginning of the third century B。C。 （as told by Livy in Book XI）； and the temple on the island of Tiber became a famous resort。 If you can transfer in imagination the Hot Springs of Virginia to the neighborhood of Washington； and put there a group of buildings such as are represented in these outlines of Caton's＇13＇ （p。 52）； add a sumptuous theatre with seating capacity for 20；000； a stadium 600 feet long with a seating capacity of 12；000； and all possible accessories of art and science； you will have an idea of what the temple at Epidaurus； a few miles from Athens； was。 〃The cult flourished mostly in places which； through climatic or hygienic advantages； were natural health resorts。 Those favoured spots on hill or mountain； in the shelter of forests； by rivers or springs of pure flowing water； were conducive to health。 The vivifying air； the well cultivated gardens surrounding the shrine； the magnificent view； all tended to cheer the heart with new hope of cure。 Many of these temples owed their fame to mineral or m
