the evolution of modern medicine-第2章
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
SAIL to the Pacific with some Ancient Mariner； and traverse day by day that silent sea until you reach a region never before furrowed by keel where a tiny island； a mere speck on the vast ocean； has just risen from the depths； a little coral reef capped with green； an atoll； a mimic earth； fringed with life； built up through countless ages by life on the remains of life that has passed away。 And now； with wings of fancy； join Ianthe in the magic car of Shelley； pass the eternal gates of the flaming ramparts of the world and see his vision：
Below lay stretched the boundless Universe！ There； far as the remotest line That limits swift imagination's flight； Unending orbs mingled in mazy motion； Immutably fulfilling Eternal Nature's law。 Above； below； around； The circling systems formed A wilderness of harmony。 （Daemon of the World； Pt。 I。）
And somewhere； 〃as fast and far the chariot flew；〃 amid the mighty globes would be seen a tiny speck； 〃earth's distant orb；〃 one of 〃the smallest lights that twinkle in the heavens。〃 Alighting； Ianthe would find something she had probably not seen elsewhere in her magic flightlife； everywhere encircling the sphere。 And as the little coral reef out of a vast depth had been built up by generations of polyzoa； so she would see that on the earth； through illimitable ages； successive generations of animals and plants had left in stone their imperishable records： and at the top of the series she would meet the thinking； breathing creature known as man。 Infinitely little as is the architect of the atoll in proportion to the earth on which it rests； the polyzoon； I doubt not； is much larger relatively than is man in proportion to the vast systems of the Universe； in which he represents an ultra…microscopic atom less ten thousand times than the tiniest of the 〃gay motes that people the sunbeams。〃 Yet； with colossal audacity； this thinking atom regards himself as the anthropocentric pivot around which revolve the eternal purposes of the Universe。 Knowing not whence he came； why he is here； or whither he is going； man feels himself of supreme importance； and certainly is of interestto himself。 Let us hope that he has indeed a potency and importance out of all proportion to his somatic insignificance。 We know of toxins of such strength that an amount too infinitesimal to be gauged may kill； and we know that 〃the unit adopted in certain scientific work is the amount of emanation produced by one million…millionth of a grain of radium； a quantity which itself has a volume of less than a million…millionth of a cubic millimetre and weighs a million million times less than an exceptionally delicate chemical balance will turn to〃 （Soddy； 1912）。 May not man be the radium of the Universe？ At any rate let us not worry about his size。 For us he is a very potent creature； full of interest； whose mundane story we are only beginning to unravel。
Civilization is but a filmy fringe on the history of man。 Go back as far as his records carry us and the story written on stone is of yesterday in comparison with the vast epochs of time which modern studies demand for his life on the earth。 For two millions （some hold even three millions） of years man lived and moved and had his being in a world very different from that upon which we look out。 There appear； indeed； to have been various types of man； some as different from us as we are from the anthropoid apes。 What upstarts of yesterday are the Pharaohs in comparison with the men who survived the tragedy of the glacial period！ The ancient history of manonly now beginning to be studied dates from the Pliocene or Miocene period； the modern history； as we know it； embraces that brief space of time that has elapsed since the earliest Egyptian and Babylonian records were made。 This has to be borne in mind in connection with the present mental status of man； particularly in his outlook upon nature。 In his thoughts and in his attributes； mankind at large is controlled by inherited beliefs and impulses； which countless thousands of years have ingrained like instinct。 Over vast regions of the earth today； magic； amulets； charms； incantations are the chief weapons of defense against a malignant nature； and in disease； the practice of Asa＇*＇ is comparatively novel and unusual； in days of illness many millions more still seek their gods rather than the physicians。 In an upward path man has had to work out for himself a relationship with his fellows and with nature。 He sought in the supernatural an explanation of the pressing phenomena of life； peopling the world with spiritual beings； deifying objects of nature； and assigning to them benign or malign influences； which might be invoked or propitiated。 Primitive priest； physician and philosopher were one； and struggled； on the one hand； for the recognition of certain practices forced on him by experience； and on the other； for the recognition of mystical agencies which control the dark； 〃uncharted region〃 about himto use Prof。 Gilbert Murray's phrase and were responsible for everything he could not understand； and particularly for the mysteries of disease。 Pliny remarks that physic 〃was early fathered upon the gods〃； and to the ordinary non…medical mind； there is still something mysterious about sickness； something outside the ordinary standard。
＇*＇ II Chronicles xvi； 12。
Modern anthropologists claim that both religion and medicine took origin in magic； 〃that spiritual protoplasm；〃 as Miss Jane Harrison calls it。 To primitive man； magic was the setting in motion of a spiritual power to help or to hurt the individual； and early forms may still be studied in the native races。 This power； or 〃mana；〃 as it is called； while possessed in a certain degree by all； may be increased by practice。 Certain individuals come to possess it very strongly： among native Australians today it is still deliberately cultivated。 Magic in healing seeks to control the demons； or forces； causing disease； and in a way it may be thus regarded as a 〃lineal ancestor of modern science〃 （Whetham）； which； too； seeks to control certain forces； no longer； however； regarded as supernatural。
Primitive man recognized many of these superhuman agencies relating to disease； such as the spirits of the dead； either human or animal； independent disease demons； or individuals who might act by controlling the spirits or agencies of disease。 We see this today among the negroes of the Southern States。 A Hoodoo put upon a negro may； if he knows of it； work upon him so powerfully through the imagination that he becomes very ill indeed； and only through a more powerful magic exercised by someone else can the Hoodoo be taken off。
To primitive man life seemed 〃full of sacred presences〃 （Walter Pater） connected with objects in nature； or with incidents and epochs in life； which he began early to deify； so that； until a quite recent period； his story is largely associated with a pantheon of greater and lesser gods； which he has manufactured wholesale。 Xenophanes was the earliest philosopher to recognize man's practice of making gods in his own image and endowing them with human faculties and attributes； the Thracians； he said； made their gods blue…eyed and red…haired； the Ethiopians； snub…nosed and black； while； if oxen and lions and horses had hands and could draw； they would represent their gods as oxen and lions and horses。 In relation to nature and to disease； all through early history we find a pantheon full to repletion； bearing testimony no less to the fertility of man's imagination than to the hopes and fears which led him； in his exodus from barbarism； to regard his gods as 〃pillars of fire by night； and pillars of cloud by day。〃
Even so late a religion as that of Numa was full of little gods to be invoked on special occasionsVatican； who causes the infant to utter his first cry； Fabulinus； who prompts his first word； Cuba； who keeps him quiet in his cot； Domiduca； who watches over one's safe home…coming （Walter Pater）； and Numa believed that all diseases came from the gods and were to be averted by prayer and sacrifice。 Besides the major gods； representatives of Apollo； AEsculapius and Minerva； there wer
