Incubation, or, The cure of disease in pagan temples and Christian churches / by Mary Hamilton.

  • Hamilton, Mary
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Incubation, or, The cure of disease in pagan temples and Christian churches / by Mary Hamilton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    143/240 (page 133)
    Encomium are the following. Theodoros (§16), a paralytic, lay in the church for thirty days. He saw the wonder-worker giving him bread and a goblet full of pure wine. He was rising up, as it seemed, to receive it, and leapt up; in truth, he started up shout- ing and praising God. It is clearly implied that this cure was effected during incubation. The expression to Soxeiv—as it seemed—is in direct opposition to «v d\r]8€ca.—in truth—i.e. a sleeping vision opposed to the waking state. Prolonged presence in the church often preceded the miracle of healing. A woman, suffering from cancer (§17), remained in the church continuously for forty days, fasting and lying on the ground. Then she was freed from the disease by the saint, in a mysterious manner, the writer says. A gradual cure was wrought on Anastasios (§15), who had a withered hand. He reached the haven of peace (i.e., church of St. Thera- pon), and fixed his hopes upon the saint. For nine days his soul was calm, and so full and perfect did his body become, that when the feast of the Nativity drew near, he was able to work with both his hands. The length of the patient's stay in the church was variable. One man with a bent body (§19) had to stay some time in the '' healing-house of the martyr '' before he was cured, while a second man suffering from the same complaint did not require to be long in attendance upon the saint (6v ttoXXwv TrpocreSpiuv eSerjdij) but at once on entering he had pity shown to him, and departed healed. The writer records one miracle of which he was a witness (§24). A man had been beaten by soldiers until he was half-dead. Late in the evening he was