The history of medicine : comprising a narrative of its progress from the earliest ages to the present time, and of the delusions incidental to its advance from empiricism to the dignity of a science / by Edward Meryon ... Volume I.

  • Edward Meryon
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of medicine : comprising a narrative of its progress from the earliest ages to the present time, and of the delusions incidental to its advance from empiricism to the dignity of a science / by Edward Meryon ... Volume I. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    Peloponncsian War, Avheii all the inhabitants of the Athenian territory crowded into tlie city, to avoid the destrnctive ravages of the Lacedasmonians; and to this circumstance the enemies of Pericles attributed the disaster. It never entu-ely ceased before it broke out a second time, and continued for the space of an entire year; and then it was that Hippocrates caused fires to be kindled to neutrahse the mfection. It is obvious, from the above description, that the resoiu-ces of the Greek phj^sicians were unequal to the emergency, and that, too, when the Greek school was in the very zenith of its glory. Supphcations in temples, consultations of oracles, and other superstitious rites, were chiefly relied on; and when they failed, a despair and demorahsation ensued, which it would be very consolatory to think attributable to their pecuhar rehgion, were it not that Proissart has recorded the self-same result of the plague in Paris in the fourteenth century of the Christian era. sessions as only laeld by the tenitre of the day. As to bestoAving labour or pains on any piirsuit which seemed honoiu-able or noble, no one cared aboiit the matter, it being uncertain whether or not he might be snatched away previously to the attainment of his object. In short, whatever any person thought pleasurable, or such as might in any way contribute thereto, tliat became with him both tlie honoiu-able and useflil. No fear of gods, or respect for human laws, operated as any check; for as to the former, they accounted it the same to worship or not to worship them, since they saw all alike perish ; and as to the latter, no one expected that his existence would be prolonged till judgment should take effect, and he receive the punishment of his offences; nay, they supposed that a far heavier judgment, already denounced against them, hung over their heads, and before it fell upon them they thought it right to snatch some enjoyment of life. — The llistor]/ of TIaia/dtdes, translated by the Itev. J. T. Bloomfield, D.D. vol. i. p. 398 et scq.
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