National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-10-09

pared with the rationalists. The fact 4,
that the latter very largely reasoned from
a false premise, the facts from which tC
draw were few aud far apart. Could the
Alexandhan anatonlsts have forseen some
OF the physiological truths lying metaphor
cally at the point OF their scalpels, they
could not have been supplanted by the
EN- prizes.
When Greece became part OF the Roman
empire many Of her scholars and artisan,
come to Rome, established themselves, and
llourlshed. greatly to the disgust Of The
Roman know.nothings OF the period
Among the earliest Of the physicians wal
young Asclepades, who was not only q
physician, but an orator as we'll He was
friend Of Cicero, and introduced q new
medical creed, based upon the Euicureau
philosophy. His doctrine was that OF the
"atoms"-that is, that all diseases d. o OF ed
simply upon the arrangement and displRce.
meut OF the atoms OF which the body was
composed. Asclepiades introduced the gym.
naslum as means OF overcoming diseases by
athlectic training, diet, cold bathing, and
friction. One OF his later pupils, Theml.
son, elaborated the doctrines OF Asclepiades,
and founded the school known as the
Methodist, This singular sect cared moth
ing for the cause OF diseases, or to know
the particular organ affected. They were
satisfied TO ascertain 10 a given case the
general condition Of the system The sys.
TEN, according TO them, was either relaxed,
contracted, or In a state midway between
relaxation and contraction. The state OF
the excretions was for them the measure.
They united with the empires IN de-
sptsing anatomy, and one Of the most
ignorant OF this sect made himself con.
sptcuuus by disagreeing to the aphor.
ism OF Hippocrates that "Art ia long''--
and agreeing TO teach this whole science OF
medicine In ak months. The only great
man the Methodists may be s1id TO have
produced Is Soranus, who wrote the famous
treatise on diseases Of women, which is still
extant This Soranus used the specuum
for the perfection of his diagnosis.
Tho quarres and rivalries OF these sects
In opposition TO the orthodox faith brought
up new sect, who called themselves
eclectics, who assumed to seize all those
doctrines Of the warning schools that were
good, aud out OF the combination make a
sect that would stand the test OF time, but
nothing worthy of note was evolved from
this movement The only Roman medical
wr ter OF note OF the first century, with the
single exception OF Galen, was A. Cornelius
CELSIUS, whose easy, graceful, polished
Latin, aud general accuracy have caused
him to be widely quoted and generally
praised. He seems to have been
rather medical writer than lino.
ticing physician; more OF com.
mentator than an originator, but his de-
sciptive powers are unriyaled aud his ele-
gance Of diction unsurpassed. Galen, who
was thirty years his junior, was as much of
an original Investigator as he was a his.
torau aud commentator. Galen followed
CELSIUS in bringing about revival OF the
liippocratic methods. The study OF natomy
was passion with him, and the functions
Of the organs began to be inv, stigated, and
the foundation Of the science OF physiology
was laid. His mind, however, was fun OF
subtle theories, and he unfortunately was
able TO bring them forward with such skill,
Ingenuity, and adrOitness that they re-
mained for a long period as stumbling
Dlocks 10 advancement, but the worlds 10.
iehtedness To Galen can scarcely be meas
lred when we rem ember the chaotic state
If medical science at the period of
CELSIUS aud Galeu. Galen's force
'ul style, impressed his pupils
hat with solid anatomical and physioIopi-
'al facts as the premises, the conclusions
must be drawn by inductive reasoning, and
hat this process must be applied TO all
problems Of disease as well as therapeutics.
With Galen Roman medicine practically
led; he had no immediate successors worthy
u note, Aurelius being the only promi-
tent Roman writer whose works had sur
lived, He was, however, thoroughly satu-
ated with the Methodist heresy The his
DRY OF the world shows that when any par
ocular place was pre- eminent for its learn
lg, It's academies, and It's progress In the
rts, there also was to be found the domi. |
lant medical school OF tho age, and after
he founding Of the Byzantine literary and |
historical schools the one on medicine be.
anne famous. IL was here that Paulus
Egineta wrote his wonderful compilation
u the writings OF his predecessors, his com
nentaries, ana his work on obst etrics. He
lso wrote work on surgery, which was |
translated into Arabic, and on which the |
Arabiau surgery was founded. They In turn,
hen they overrun Europe left their knowl.
dye to medieval surgeons. The medical
terature OF the Byzantine school had little
recommend 1t to posterity, and, with the
reception OF Paulus, was notably barren.
ribasius Is frequently quoted as belonging
the Byzantine school, but he was Creek,
lucated at Alexandria, wrote many OF his
Doks there, and had already an established
,putation when he came to Byzantium.
dulus, who was educated at Byzantium,
uotes him approvingly. The fourth epoch,
; is implied In the fable, was the period OF
ecadence Ia Europe OF learning In all
licences, aud medicine was no exception TO
10 rule. IL was during this period
rabian medicine attained It's greatest
Igor, for as the Mohammedan conauests
ecame consolidated, medical schools arose
their chief capitals. Damascus and Bag.
ld once more became prominent. Rhazes,
lie Arabian, was distinguished as the most
1innlnous writer OF the age. Hall
obas, Persian who followed Rhazes,
rote the Royal Book" which was the
ulde Of the Arabans for a long period,
lbukasis wrote an encyclopedia OF which
he original portion is highly valued. II
as written at Cordova during the Mo-
occupation OF Spain, and was
anslated Into Latin. The Hispano Arab.
IS were prolific In medical encyclopndlas
vicenna has always been looked upon as
Ie greatest Of the Arabian writer's (Payne),
1t there are no discoveries OF note attrib-
ed 10 him. Avenzoar. Averroes, and
abb Mainioindes were also great com
lers, indeed It nowhere appears that the
rahidns did more than preserve Greek and
IeXandran medicine. We are indebted to
em for the description of smallpox and
easles.
II was In the fifth epoch. or the period OF
@ crusades, that Arabian medicine began
be widely translated and circulated
roughout Europe, but Hippocratc, or ra-
'nal medicine, began to gain ground
rough the influence OF the Benedictine
onks. They established schools In the
ngdom of Naples-one at Monte Casino
id the other at Salernum. or these
hools that at Salernum became the most
nous. Its salubrious situation on the
ores OF the Mediterranean, surrounded by
forest, extending down TO the foot OF the
made II an attractive resort for
vallds At AN early period. Adalberon,
u af N.I Al .
9Si. Al that time great portion OF the
res was supposed To be due TO the relies
ST. Matthew, which had been carried
ere In 95i, and he was the patron saint of 7
e school. Other relics were carried there
different times. In the tenth century the
Onks OF salernum studied the medicine Of
e Greeks and Arabians, made tTanslatlons,
d by this means brought themselves far
advance OF their contemporaries. At the I
ne OF the crusades the school /
Salernum had become the
u school of medicine In the west The {