Outlines of Greek and Roman Medicine

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Outlines of Greek and Roman Medicine, by

James Sands Elliott This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Outlines of Greek and Roman Medicine
Author: James Sands Elliott
Release Date: May 5, 2007 [EBook #21325]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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OUTLINES OF GREEK AND ROMAN MEDICINE
[Illustration: From Wellcome's Medical Diary (Copyright) By permission of Burroughs Wellcome & Co.
ASKLEPIOS
The ancient Greek Deity of Healing.]

OUTLINES OF GREEK AND ROMAN MEDICINE
BY
JAMES SANDS ELLIOTT, M.D., Ch.B.(Edin.)
Editor of the "New Zealand Medical Journal," Honorary Surgeon to the Wellington Hospital, New Zealand.
Illustrated
milford house inc. boston

This Milford House edition is an unabridged republication of the edition of 1914.
Published in 1971 by MILFORD HOUSE INC. Boston, Massachusetts
Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 76-165987 Standard Book Number 0-87821-036-9
Printed in the U.S.A.

TO MY FATHER

PREFACE.
I was stimulated to write these Outlines of Greek and Roman Medicine by a recent sojourn in the south-eastern part of Europe. The name of the book defines, to some extent, its limitations, for my desire has been to give merely a general outline of the most important stages in the advancement of the healing art in the two Empires to which modern civilization is most deeply indebted. There are a few great works on the history of medicine by continental writers, such, for instance, as those by the German writers, Baas, Sprengel, and Puschmann, but, generally speaking, the subject has been much neglected.
I cherish the hope that this little work may appeal to doctors, to medical students, and to those of the public who are interested in a narration of the progress of knowledge, and who realize that the investigation of the body in health and disease has been one of the most important features of human endeavour.
The medical profession deserves censure for neglect of its own history, and pity 'tis that so many practitioners know nothing of the story of their art. For this reason many reputed discoveries are only re-discoveries; as Bacon wrote: "Medicine is a science which hath been, as we have said, more professed than laboured, and yet more laboured than advanced; the labour having been, in my judgment, rather in circle than in progression. For I find much iteration, and small progression." Of late years, however, the History of Medicine has been coming into its kingdom. Universities are establishing courses of lectures on the subject, and the Royal Society of Medicine recently instituted a historical section.
The material I have used in this book has been gathered from many sources, and, as far as possible, references have been given, but I have sought for, and taken, information wherever it could best be found. As Montaigne wrote: "I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them together."
I have to express my indebtedness to my friend, Mr. J. Scott Riddell, M.V.O., M.A., M.B., C.M., Senior Surgeon, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, for his great kindness in reading the proof-sheets, preparing the index and seeing this book through the press and so removing one of the difficulties which an author writing overseas has to encounter; also to my publishers for their courtesy and attention.
JAMES SANDS ELLIOTT.
Wellington, New Zealand.
January 5, 1914.

CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
EARLY ROMAN MEDICINE. 1
Origin of Healing--Temples--Lectisternium--Temple of ?sculapius--Archagathus--Domestic Medicine--Greek Doctors--Cloaca Maxima--Aqueducts--State of the early Empire
CHAPTER II.
EARLY GREEK MEDICINE. 13
Apollo--?sculapius--Temples--Serpents--Gods of Health--Melampus--Homer--Machaon--Podalarius--Temples of ?sculapius--Methods of Treatment--Gymnasia--Classification of Renouard--Pythagoras--Democedes--Greek Philosophers
CHAPTER III.
HIPPOCRATES. 25
His life and works--His influence on Medicine
CHAPTER IV.
PLATO, ARISTOTLE, THE SCHOOL OF ALEXANDRIA, AND EMPIRICISM. 39
Plato--Aristotle--Alexandrian School--Its Origin--Its Influence--Lithotomy--Herophilus--Erasistratus--Cleombrotus-- Chrysippos--Anatomy--Empiricism--Serapion of Alexandria
CHAPTER V.
ROMAN MEDICINE AT THE END OF THE REPUBLIC AND THE BEGINNING OF THE EMPIRE. 51
Asclepiades of Prusa--Themison of Laodicea--Methodism--Wounds of Julius C?sar--Systems of Philosophy--State of the country--Roman quacks--Slaves and Freedmen--Lucius Horatillavus
CHAPTER VI.
IN THE REIGN OF THE C?SARS TO THE DEATH OF NERO. 63
Augustus--His illnesses--Antonius Musa--M?cenas--Tiberius-- Caligula--Claudius--Nero--Seneca--Astrology--Archiater--Women poisoners--Oculists in Rome
CHAPTER VII.
PHYSICIANS FROM THE TIME OF AUGUSTUS TO THE DEATH OF NERO. 72
Celsus--His life and works--His influence on Medicine--Meges of Sidon--Apollonius of Tyana--Alleged miracles--Vettius Valleus--Scribonius Longus--Andromachus--Thessalus of Tralles--Pliny
CHAPTER VIII.
THE FIRST AND SECOND CENTURIES OF THE CHRISTIAN ERA. 86
Athen?us--Pneumatism--Eclectics--Agathinus--Aret?us--Archigenes-- Dioscorides--Cassius Felix--Pestilence in Rome--Ancient surgical instruments--Herodotus--Heliodorus--C?lius Aurelianus--Soranus-- Rufus of Ephesus--Marinus--Quintus
CHAPTER IX.
GALEN. 96
His life and works--His influence on Medicine
CHAPTER X.
THE LATER ROMAN AND BYZANTINE PERIOD. 111
Beginning of Decline--Neoplatonism--Antyllus--Oribasius--Magnus-- Jacobus Psychristus--Adamantius--Meletius--Nemesius--?tius-- Alexander of Tralles--The Plague--Moschion--Paulus ?gineta--Decline of Healing Art
CHAPTER XI.
INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON ALTRUISM AND THE HEALING ART. 127
Essenes--Cabalists and Gnostics--Object of Christ's Mission--Stoics--Constantine and Justinian--Gladiatorial Games--Orphanages--Support of the Poor--Hospitals--Their Foundation--Christianity and Hospitals--Fabiola--Christian Philanthropy--Demon Theories of Disease receive the Church's Sanction--Monastic Medicine--Miracles of Healing--St. Paul--St. Luke--Proclus--Practice of Anatomy denounced--Christianity the prime