An historical sketch of medicine and surgery, from their origin to the present time; and of the principal authors, discoveries, improvements, imperfections and errors / by W. Black.
- Date:
- 1782
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: An historical sketch of medicine and surgery, from their origin to the present time; and of the principal authors, discoveries, improvements, imperfections and errors / by W. Black. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
143/338 page 129
![[ «29 ] and oblivion. There are many manufcript Co-* pies of Arabian Medical authors preferved in different libraries of Europe, whofe works it has hot been thought neceflary to tranflate and to com- mit to the prefs. Europe, from the demolition of the Roman Em- pire, and the era of Mahomet, does not in the courfc of the five following centuries, furnifh one fubjedt for criticifm in literature or medicine. The dif- gufting labour of hiftorians in that period is a dull record of the follies, barbarities, and ftupidity of our hemifphere. The Roman fpoils had been divided amongft its fierce invaders: this feudal fyftem, afterwards corrupted, produced innumera- ble fources of anarchy. Europe was filled by degrees with ftrohg eaftles, with thoufands of petty tyrants and imperious barons, who were wa- ging incefiant hoftilities againft each other. The great bulk and lower clafies of the people, were reduced to an ignominious ftate of vafialage, and trembled under the harfh rigour of ariftoeratic defpotifm. Genius and arts were ftill kept alive in one final! corner alone of Europe, Greece j but even at Conftantinople, the capital, literature was abforbed in theological controverfies. Almoft every other country of the European Continent was diftracled with private quarrels, wars and rapine: contefted rights, perfonal injuries and difputes were terminated by combats, by the ordeal of fire and water, and other abfurd modes of jurifprudence : the roads were infefted with gangs of robbers, K and](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21909660_0143.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
