Galen : two bibliographical demonstrations in the library of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 9th December, 1891, and 30th March, 1893 / by James Finlayson.

  • James Finlayson
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Galen : two bibliographical demonstrations in the library of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 9th December, 1891, and 30th March, 1893 / by James Finlayson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    set the profession there against him ; indeed, his position in Rome was probably only rendered safe by the influence of Marcus Aurelius and other potentates. Galen says of physicians in Rome:— [Medical Profession in Eoiiie].—''Thej will say or do anything to curry favour with the multitude; they will also flatter and favour ; in the towns they will daily salute wealthy and influential persons, walk alongside of them, take them to their houses, give banquets, and behave themselves like buffoons. Others, not only in this manner, but also by the gaudiness of their clothing and their rings, by the splendour of their silver vases and by the troops of followers accompanying them, endeavour to dazzle fools and show that they are persons of tremendous importance and men to be imitated — (Kiihn, tom. xiv, p. GOO.) In another passage he draws a comparison between the members of the medical profession and robbers, the sole difference being, he says, that tlie former perpetrate their crimes in the towns and the latter in the mountains.^ Notwithstandino- the hard lines which bad, accordinij to himself, fallen to his lot through the hatred and envy of the profession in Rome, Galen seems to have had at least one aood fee, received from the consul Boethus for attendance on his wife; he sent him 400 aurei, equivalent, we may say, to 400 English guineas. Indeed, so far as the value of that coin can be estimated, the balance of exchano-e seems to have been in favour of Galen, for it is quoted in the dictionar}'- as £1, Is. 1-Jd.; but these aurei evidently acquired a very special additional value in Galen's eyes, as the rumour of them increased the envy of his fellow practitioners, and added to his praise ! Sola hac re a latrouibus differnnt, quod in urbe, non in montibus facinora sua perpetrent.—(Kilhn, tom. xiv, p. 622.) ^ [ Botithi uxorem uteri protluvio laborantem praeter spem aliorum sanat] . . . quadrigentos aureos ad me misit, auxitque generosorum honim medicorum invidiam, iude quod me laudibus extoUeret.—(Kiihn, torn, xiv, p. 647.)