The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-07

cal man needed know more. few could
know as much. Diagnosis and treat
ment had been established once for all;
the healing art was stified in the grip
OF a dead hand. Yet the profession
never verified It's authority in the
original writings. the text OF Galen was
Inaccessible and unreadable, It was
known solely through various epit-
ONES and through the work of trans
lators. From Greece to Spain the
roundabout course OF such knowledge
was through the intermedistion OF
the Arabic scholarship OF the Saracen
Empire OF northern Africa and OF the
Iber.an peninsula. Our scientific
Technology Is crowded with verbal
proof Of this channel OF communica-
ton: algebra. alcohol. both Saracen
terms OF wisdom I'm our common
speech. the star map Is studded with
Arabic names, such as Betelguese; we
have countless items acknowledging
our debt 20 the great Saracens. In
medicine the standard text OF Galen
was that OF Avicenna, It was Galen as
the final authority. With Greek
pouring in torrent over Italy and
the Rhine II Is seddening to observe
this note by Orta: These physicians
and the other men Of letters they call
mullas say that the works Of Avicen-
ma. OF Galen and OF the Greek phi
losophers and Of the false prophet
we're written in the language OF
Syria"
The purpose OF these colloquies,
fity-nine In number. II 10 identify
slmples In the mRteria medica OF In
dia and parts adjacent which Orta
used in his practice and many OF which
he had growing In his garden, and TO
adjust them TO their proper associa-
ton with remedial objects recorded
by the Avicenna- Galen. With that we
should have no more than a curious
interest, for many Of these simples
have long since passed from medical
use. But our good Portingale leech
could not be content with the arid
theme. he finds a pleasure in acquir-
ing a full knowledge OF each object
which comes within his scope and OF
enriching his text with interesting de-
tail He believes far more than he
should OF what is told him by the
wanderers Of India and the seas be-
yond. yet he somewhat prides him
self on not being credulous. lie affords
two standards OF the evsluation OF
possibly inveracious statements. II do
not care 10 say that a king never lies.
but that they never have TO lie, being
kings. and at the other extreme. but
/ know that the lapidary who told me
this professionally told lies sometimes.
as he found them profitable in his
trade, and he got so used 10 Il that
he occasionally related marvels OF his
own accord" Herein We see that
Orta has done hts best 10 slft the false
from the true and IL by way OF pridlng
himself on his freedom from gullibil-
ity.
Students Of mans nrst disobedience
and the fruit OF that forbidden tree
will recall that Orta is cited as the
authority for the heresy that It was
not an apple but banana. Yet Orta
does not venture this ga a conclusion
OF his own. You must know further
that a Franciscan friar who was In
Jerusalem and writes OF the mysteries
Of the Holy Land praises this fruit:
he says that Il IS called musa because
Il was the fruit OF the MUSES. and thar
they fed upon it: he says further that
It was this fruit which caused Adam
20 sin"
The csrdomum leads him 20 tell the
story OF the sovereign sntidote
against poison. the mltrldato or urea
Gle, into whose composition It enters
largely. These kings, or rather ty-
rants, OF this land are much I'm the
habit OF poisoning their brothers
Talking with this king one day I tried
10 discover how they made tlriaca.
He said that Il came in a barrel with
. man to make proof. He would, IL f.
were genuine. buy all the tiriaca,
Weighing out for the Same weight Of
gold II he should mako proof" This
shows the ancient peril OF being an
spothecary's assistant. to BE- the proof
OF the virtue OF a poison antidote.
In the twentieth colloquy enters a
servant girl: please, sir. q Negroes
Of the house gave my mistress datura
70 drink, then took her keys and the
jewels she had on her neck and in a
box and ran AWAY with another negro.
/ VIII you please come and succor my
mistress?' Or-a proposes to Ruano:
Let us go and see tbs woman. who
is an unmarried half-caste. You will
be Interested. Those who take this
medicine lose their heads They al
ways laugh and are very liberal. for
they let people take such Of their
jewels as they choose, and only laugh
or speak very little, and that no, 10
the purpose. So that rcbber has
only to give this medicine I'm the food
and the effect lasts for twenty-four
hours" This il a forgotten virtue OF
the wa%side Unison weed.
Orta declares that the unicorn ia NOT
/ found in India, but he has the tes-
tlmony of eve witnesses who had seen
the beasts in Africa. 81 know NOTHING
more OF this animal, but I saw some
OF its horns and how they are fas-
tened to the forehead. pray 20 God
that We may come 20 know more and
that what We discover may be for His
service; and that what / write NAV b.
short rather than long, for would
only record what would he most use
full" OF the wisdom OF the elephant
he records several instances: THE
elephant wants only the power OF
speech 20 be n rational animal" The
best IL the tale OF the elephant which
was sent to tinker with a leaky pot