The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-14
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

light not only on the great physician of old, but brings into sharp outline the , esteem in which medicine was held in the Graeco-Roman world.
 Aesculapius appears in Homer as an excellent physician, of human origin; in the later legends he becomes the god of the healing art According to the early Homeric tradition he left two sons, Machaon and Podal Irios, who, as physicians, attended the Greek army. am not going into history, but brought in the profession of his boys to ring in the fact that while doctors had good standing among the Greeks, they were taboo" by the Romans. Rome, the great plagaiarist, we are told, never had a medicine of her own. for the Eternal City was notorious for her hatred of doctors, and if we are to give credence to one of her greatest never knew any physicians. But grad ually Greek physicians settled in Rome, and after awhile the Romans grew ac- customed to the extravaganza of tho healing art.
 But the tradition of hate was kept alive for years, and Pliny never lost a chance to cover them with opprobrium give one of his cutting remarks tioners: "The dignity of the Roman does not permit him to make a profess ! sion of medicine, and the few Romans who began to study it are venal rene- gades to the Creeks" This is pretty strong language even for a noble old Roman, but he is also author of the dictum that doctor Is the only person not punished for murder. Perhaps this | Is why one of my doctor friends con- fessed to me that he hoped that there was not to be a resurrection of the body, as he might be embarrassed when Gabriel blew his horn by having to meet some patient whom he had unwittingly sent to his grave before his appointed ! time.
 | But the Romans got used to doctors, | and to a large extent the prejudice l against them died away, for 1t is re- | corded that the Emperor Marcus Aurel- ius, who was at Aquilleia, preparing to wage war against the Marcomanni I summoned Galen, the greatest physician of his time, and one of the most re-
 nowned in the whole history of medi- cine, to his side, for in spite of his Med- 1 itations he was fearfully afraid of the great plague which was depicting his armies.
 I am afraid the imperial summon left a blot on Galen's record, as one who if he had not should have subscribed to the Hippocratic oath. At the risk of boring the physicians who know it, ] am going to give it in part for 1t rings true and shows the high ideal of the men who give their lives unselfishly to the medical profession: With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my art Into whatever
 houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick. While continue to keep this oath inviolate, may it be granted to me to enjoy life
 and the practice of my art. respected by all men at all times. But should l
 trespass and violate this oath, may tho
 reverse be my lot!"
 It may be untrue, but some medical historians think that Galen got in a
 "blue funk" on account of the ravages
 of the plague, and showed the white feather, and in spite of his great repu- tation in Rome, when it was practically certain that he was about to be admit
 ted into the imperial court. he igno- lminiously stole away by night, for Rome
 was being swept by an eastern pesti-
 lence which was killing men and
 slaughtering animals, until the proud city was likened unto a madhouse and
 a morgue. It was then the cry. came
 to him from Marcus Aurelius
 | Now, the story of Galen's cowardice
 in the face of the plague may do him an injustice, but the account of the
 manner in which he outwitted even
 the Roman Emperor and author of the 1 "Meditations" shows that he was what
 the Scots call canny. The plague get
 ting in it's work, the brave general con-
 cluded that he would postpone tho
 thrashing long overdue which he had
 promised the Marcomanni, and together
 with his army beat a hasty >eretreat lback to Rome, much to the secret pleas
 ure of his court physician, Galen.
 Now comes the story of the double
 cross Galen administered to the guile-
 less Marcus, the man whose pith and
 wisdom comes down to us in his "Medi-
 tations." even being proper mental food
 and moral pap for twentieth century
 people for did not the late Mayor Gay
 nor of New York tote around in hi.
 coat pocket a copy of the sayings oi
 the Roman sage and saint upon which
 to find food for reflection as he sought
 to rule more difficult bunch than ever
 came under the hand<o the Roman
 Emperor? The ancient Roman deca-
 dents were but a pale imitation when
 ranged alongside of the modern degen-
 crate Gothamites.
 But I am digressing. Time came when Marcus Aurelius was ready to sci
 out a second time to make ROme's name
 feared and obeyed, and he wanted Ga.
 len along. but the willy physician not having any stomach for forced marches