The development of Greek anatomy / by Ludwig Edelstein.

  • Ludwig Edelstein
Date:
1935
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The development of Greek anatomy / by Ludwig Edelstein. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    now a few authors consider it advantageous to know how the cavi¬ ties of the body through which these humors How are formed. One source says, “ I hold that it is also necessary to know which dis¬ eased states arise from powers and which from structures. What I mean is, roughly, that a “ power ” is an intensity and strength of the humors, while “ structures ” are the conformations to be found in the human body.” 3 And another book at least distinguishes be¬ tween the diseases which “ have their seat where they can be seen ” and other diseases which have “ a seat where they cannot be per¬ ceived.” 4 The latter are “ those which are determined to the bones or the cavities,” and “ their obscurity however does not mean that they are our masters, but as far as is possible they have been mas¬ tered, a possibility limited only by the capacity of the sick to be examined and of researchers to conduct research.” 5 And another author even says, “ The nature of the body is the beginning of medi¬ cal study.” 6 However, at this time such statements occur only sporadically. But then, since the beginning of the 3rd century B. C., the dog¬ matic physicians who think it possible to explain diseases by theories, emphasize that in internal diseases the organs are the origin of illnesses, and that it is impossible to discover the organs without studying the human body. And “ besides, as pains and various other disorders, attack the internal parts, they believe no person can apply proper remedies to those parts of which he is ignorant.” 7 The empiricists who went no further than experience allows, agree with the dogmatists in that physicians should know the human structure, since experience teaches that the treatment of diseases de¬ pends upon the organs.8 Only the last Greek medical school founded in the 1st century A. D., the methodic school, again repudiates the necessity of this knowledge in accordance with its refutation of S7T. dpxaivs IriTpucijs, Ch. XXII, Hippocrates, translated by W. H. S. Jones (Loeb Classical Library), I, p. 57. 47r. rexvvs, Ch. IX, Hippocrates, loc. cit., II, p. 207. 5 7T rex^s, Ch. X; XI, Hippocrates, loc. cit., II, pp. 207; 209. 6 7r. tottwv TWv tear' avepuirov, Ch. II, Oeuvres computes d’Hippocrate, par E. Littre (Paris, 1839), VI, p. 278. 7 Celsus de medicina, translated by James Greive (London, 1756), p. 7.
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