Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-05-24

which dinpOcrdtes Is the bright particular star
he divided diseases into two great classes, acute
and chronic; a very useful and practical divis
on made by nature. and observed by every
practitioner OF medicine al the present day. Upon
these supposed states h based his indications
of cure During the acute stage the disease
war treated enthusiastically, but IN the chronic
state, he pursued the expectant plan, believing
that to get rid Of an enemy which invades me
citadel of life, a siege is better than forciole
means of entry. TO eject him from his premises
The next great name in medical science Is
CELSIUS. he lived four hundred years after Hip
pocrates and is the first Roman practitioner
whose name has been transmitted to the present
time. and the most learned exponent o. the
methodic sect. His practice IS remarkable
for boldness and precision, and has tTeatises arc
volumiuous, embracing remarks upon every sub
iect worthy Of note az the time in which he lived
In fevers, he relied principally upon the modus
operandi Of nature, cOnceiving that they consist
essentially in the effort Of the constitution to
throw of some mOroid cause. We here see the
germ of the doctrine of the us medacatrix ma
Iurse which has had so much influence over the
practice OF the most enlightened physicians oil
modern times. After CELSIUS, deserves TO be men
toned Pliny and some others, who served To pre-
pare the way for another name which makes DIS
tinct era in the science of medicine. Highly gut
ed by nature, Galen possessed every personal adj
vantage He was one Of the most remarkable
geniuses that ever appeared either in ancient or
in modern times. He hour.shed IN the second
century Of the Christian Era, native OF Rome,
aud brought up in the lap of wealth and re-
finenent the means he commanded OF crafty
ing his thirst for knowledge were inexhausta-
bic: his education was conducted on the most
liberal scale, and under the best masters, while
extensive travel added largely to his store OF use
full knowledge With all these desiderata be pos
sessed great holiness of purpose and energy, to
carry ont whatever cause he might espouse All
that could be anticipated from such advantages
was more than realized. The rank that Galen
holds among the greatlights Of our science IS sec
I ond only to Hppocrstes, and although no affairs
were erected TO his memory, no sserlhces offer
cd 70 his shrine, has opinions were regarded
with an awe little less religious in its char
acter; and in reference to his theory and prac-
/ tice, for number OF centuries was sufficient
argument against innovation IN medicine The
literary remains Of this prodigy of industry and
talent, amount 10 several hundred treatises,
among which the departments of physiology,
pathology and anatomy, form large share. For
I centuries succeeding the death OF Galen, we
Il have few illustriOus names to celebrate, or
/ discoveries 10 record Literature in general
was declining, and various causes, both moral
and political, were coming into operation, which
suspended the progress OF science and learning
/ for many centuTie~ and produced what are Just
Not until the ninth century was there any adj
vances made in the science of medicine, and
this deserves no more than a passing notice. A
correct and elaborate description Of small pox
measels diseases before unknown, were desert
bed by Rhages, an Arabian physician. In the
/ tenth century, another star of The first magni-
tude broke through the armament to gild the
darkness which enveloped the world.
Avicenna, like Galen, was educated in all the
lore of the times. and exhibited an intellect not
inferior that distinguished man in all the prac-
teal walks OF the profession de wrote most
extensively upon almost every subject, and his
works continued TO be the standard text books
in the schools Of Europe and Arabia, until the
revival of letters. From the twelfth to the
fourteenth century, medicine became neglected.
! and like other branches of science, lapsed into
most profound dsrepute ard insignifcance
/ period os darkness and barbarism immedi-
ately succeeded the fall of the Roman Empire
and the more polite part Of the world was visit.
/ ed by northern storm of barbarians, who ex-
tngnished the small light of learning that lit
up the darkness Of the age. Surgery fell into
the hands Of the Arabian physicians. character
lied by the neglect of anatomy, with a copious
instrumental apparatus, fear of the knife, and
frequent employment of the cautery iron. al
cheIny was at this time the favorite and all
absorbing pursuit of the learned who spent otter
a lifetime in the solitude of some subterraneaI
} laboratory vainly seeking to change the base
metals into gold or TO discover some grand elixi
, which might ensure earthly immortality to man
In Christian Europe surgery fell into the hands
! of the clergy 1t sunk to such imperfection
: that the knowledge Of operations possessed bl
the Greeks was no longer met with. A distin
guisbed historian says that the universal igno
} rance, the pretended honor Of blood, the dogm;
of religion which shed i ~ torrents for useless
quarrels an exclusive relish for the sub;le:y O
the schools, and speculative theories, are cii
cumstaaces farther explaining the profound
darkness of the age. About the middle of tn,
fourteenth century the arts and sciences began
to flourish. The reformation reflected its ben
ehts upon physIc, and O better day Was eyi
I dentIy da$ isiiIg upon the world. 4 he priest:
We're forbidden by the Pope to perform any
bloody operation, on pain OF accommodation
This edict gave birth To the barbary system
men employed by the priest to perform the M:
nor operations of surgery, such as bleeding
cupping, and extracting teeth. Their occupa
ton was indicated by red pole, suspended a
the door of their office. During this period
medical schools sprungup in Spain, France ant
England, and human dssections were encour
) aged. Henry the Eighth legalized the studl
of anatomy by an act Of Parliament. All tha
could be anticipated from the organization o
} medical schools, human dissections, and tn
; science of chemistry, was more than realized
and the seventeenth century was characterized
T with many brilliant discoveries in anatomy
materia medica, and theora, and practice. Tn
history of this epoch, so glorious for the profes
sion, comprises the discovery of the absorbents
+ by Rudback, and the circulation of the blood
) bv the immortal Harvey.
r In approaching the latter part of the seven
4 tenth century, we come to names familiar I
every practitioner Of medicine The numeTou
!, wars which scourged mankind, and the esIab
e lishment Of public hospitals, presented a ric
field for observation, and gave rise to many new
D theories in medicine. In sketch so necessari
1 hurried, we pass over the names Of Sylvius an,
a Hillias, the most respectable advocates of tn
e chemical doctrines of medicine, which brings u
S to Sydenham, a man not inferior to any tina
c have passed under our review. Justly has h
been styled the English HiPpocrates; as tn
one shone pre- eminent among the ancients, tn
l other may be regarded as the greatest among tn
5 modeTns. He leaned to no theory, but ccntente,
$ himself with matters Of fact, and devoted hi
1 time to the study Of diseases, and to the modu
: operandi of medicines.
Medical schools were greatly multiplied il
the beginning of the eighteenth century, whcl
a gave rise to scholastic discussions, angry de
2 bates, and the overthrow of long establishe,
( principles and theories. Stahl and Hoffmal
!, both opposed to the chemical and mathematics
j, physicians, explained the phenomena of lif
j, atoms of the animal economy, 10 a specific prin
:, ciple, styled ANNA. Hoffman, such phenomon
! to the nervous structure; this opinion gave lis
: to the theory of solidism, and opposed to tn
e long cherished Immoral pathology. He sub
J verted many OF the errors attached 10 the oil,
e system of pathology, and called the attention O
L the medical world TO the importance of prope
attention to the muscular and nervous system
= as well as The fluid portion of the body. Co
t temporary with Stahl and Hoffman, was tn
j celebrated Boerhave of Leyden. There are few
: examples, (says the hstorian,) either in ancien
e or modern times, of any individual who arrive,
: at higher eminence, both in general knowledg
: and the departments more intimately connecte,
f with profession. His acquaintance with botan,
5 and Chemistry, were such as TO enable him &
; teach both these sciences with the greatest sue
cess, while his lectures and his writings, bot
5 theoretical and practical, were long eonsidere,
y a standard of excellence. His moral quaitie
: were no less admirable than his intellectual al
!. guments; and, if we add TO these his elegance a
e writer, his eloquence a lecturer, and his en-
: tire devotedness 10 his profession, we shall be
losQ IN accnnnf for fha col krifxr ~.