Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-06-12
Fer ths DsnoeTlt.
HISTORY OF MEDICINE.


IN ut 20 yeafs bei9fe IhHsi. ne embfaeel
ss@-y q nP~,sai.y 10 gala knowledge, and care
fully sluned egery ling psr'si-iag 70 Med e.!
Science. Il was practic among toe Aac,eE.s
81 that time, 70 have the sick 10 be exposed BY
che way .Sids and other conspicuous places, to be
sseE b. The Travellers who were made 10 relate
ell they knew sbOu, similar cases, and 10 pre-.
scribe such remedies a. we're knoSn 70 have
cured cases Of like kind. By these means many
very excellent remedies were made known and
recorded on the pillars, walls and tablets Of the
lsmPlsG Thus the studies Of Physicians were
greatly facilitated.
The family Of The Esculapiades about this pc.
ried founded three Medical Schools ia Cos, Col.
dus and Rhodes. Their fame began to spread
when the Homer Of Medicine, (HipPocrates.)
with gigantic mind discovered defects in the
systems, and set about Immediately to find out
q remedy commemorate With the importance Of
the subject.
These are the Ars schools Of Physie Of which
history gives Us any account A strong conlen
ton now arc - between Hippocrates and the ad
vOcaies pfthe prevailing theories. HippocrAies
thought that reason and experience were fhe
grand REQUESTS for skillfil Physician, and con
reason aud theory reciifed by practice. He
thus set out to add reason and argument to the
doctrines Of Greece and Egypt, and at the end to
exalt Medicine to the dignity Of a Science. This
he accomplished, (lhough he was denounced all
EmPeric,) with perseverance, and success which
perhaps have never been equaled,n honored the
labors Of any single man Theory and Practice
were 90 remarkably blended by HipPocrates, that
his decisions in Medicine were received like the
Orioles Of Apollo, not only With confidence but
with generation.
He decided that Medicine could be greatly in.
creased by uniting il with Philosophy. He there
fore applied himself with the utmost energy and
industry to Philosophy, TO penetrate the essence
Of bodies, and search out and endesvor to ascend
TO the constituent principles and powers Of the
universe. He thus originally learned that EEK
perience should be enlightened by reason, and
theory rectified by practice" He met with q
most favorable opportunity Of testing the superb
oriIy Of his skill at Athens, in the treatment Of
the Plague. When that devastating epidemic
was threatening to do what Xexes, with six mil.
lions of men, against twelve thousand, could not
effect, viz: the destruction Of Greece when all
was gloom and dispair, HIppocrates, like
guardian engel, comes to their relief and stays
the horrible work Of death and desolalion Tho
scene was quickly changed to hope and joy
His prescriptions In this case, consisted Of stin.
ulanta, emetics, tonics, warm bathes. DC. To
purify the cir, be cause to be bull. large Gree 10
oil the streets and allies Of the city.
The writings Of Hippocrales a. well as bic
deciplss, Galen, Ridlin, Van, Sweeien and De.
encouF,, give proof tina, hs not only knew some.
thing Of Anatomy, but also Understood tho Cir.
culs.ion Of the Blood. and the Sanguitsrous Sys.
tenn. The discovery Of the circulation Of tho
hood 10 generally sscribed to Sir DE-. Humphry
Harry.
Hippocra,es maintained the opinion. that the
common cause Of disease was obstruction in the
Vascular System, and to the amount Of obstruc.
ton and state ofhunourshe referred all diseases,
which, he said. indicated In the cure, the use Of
gentle and innocent evacuen,s, relaxanls, stimu.
lanis and tonics. He advanced the doctrine that
there was in the system principle which be
called Nature, tending TO the preservation OF
health and the removal Of disefse. He there
fore, advised Physcans,o carefully observe and
promote the efforts OF Nature, at the same time.
correcting morbid states by their opposites and
eodaavoring to bring back the fluids into their
proper channels.
], was his custom before admitting one TO the
profession Of Medicine, to bind them BY the 90.
IDENTITIES Of an oath. strckly TO observe oil the
advantages Of the sick. His doctrines and opin-
lon. were respected as orioles, no. only in the
schools Of physic, but 10 courts and laws. He
oharsd with Plato tie title Divine, and wal
called the Father Of Medicine. Il 10 said BY
some writers tina, he wrote "a books, BY others
tina. bic works were coniained In 8 folio vol
pmes. The first was q Journal Of the Maladies
which he followed through their different stages
Second, Observations on hia own experiences
and the experience Of preceding ages. Third
Reasonings on the causes, symtoms and cures o
diseases. Fourth, on the airs, waters and pla
ces. The fourth last treated Of the duties anC
qualifications Of Physician--of various part,
Of Medicine and Natural Philosophy His rules
for the education Of a Physician, are the mos
admirable ever yet penned. His first rule !: be
cause our life is short and our art very long
a boy must be taken in early youth; second, OF
anime whether his genius bc adapted to tn,
art third, has he received from nature an OK
quisile descernu,ent, sound judgment, char
ac,er In which mildness and tirmncss are com
bned. that he may sympathise and suffer wit
I the suffering Of others, that he may nalulall
feel the tenderes. OF commissera,ion for Ii
I woe. lnciden, to his fellow. MORALS fourth,
should continue The love oflabor, with the desire
and emulation of all that 10 praisewonhy; 6fit
le. him practice the manual operations Of Sur
gerry; SIKH. lie, him study the whole circlo {
science seventh. let him travel AMI extend hi
knowledge through different countries and cite
jet him observe the difference Of airs an
waters that sre drank; eighth, the eatables whic
are the principal food Of the inhabitants, and
the causes that occasion disorders ia the anima
economy. He must know by what precedin
signs, maldles may be known, by what regime
they may he avoided. by what remedies cured
Further; experience alone is less dangerou
! THAI theory wihou. expenence-for il 10 not i
! the dust OF the schools, nor works Of the Phi
losopheF, that we learn the AIT Of interogatin
Naiure-and the still more difficult art Of await
ing her answer "You must conduct him to ID
. abodes Of pain already yelled with The shades q
death, when nature, exposed TO the violent ct