Medical symbolism in connection with historical studies in the arts of healing and hygiene / Illustrated. By Thomas S. Sozinskey.

  • Sozinskey, Thomas S., 1852?-1889.
Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical symbolism in connection with historical studies in the arts of healing and hygiene / Illustrated. By Thomas S. Sozinskey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    study the medical virtues of plants; for Chiron was a great herbalist, being called by Homer, in the words of Pope, the sire of pharmacy.1 In time the pupil ex- ceeded the teacher in his knowledge of dimes. Chiron was regarded, Pindar tells us,2 as the son of Saturn and the Bea-nymph Philyra ; and hence was a brother of Zeus. Saturn changed himself into a horse to conceal his amour with the nymph from his wife, Rhea. This would account for the form of the Centaur. Chiron lived in a cave on Mount Pelion,in Thessaly. It, will be remembered that it was from there thai hi got the ashen spear3 for Peleua, which the son brought into use, a ponderous spear, which— Stern Achillea only wields, The death of beroea and the dread ol fields.4 According to Homer,' Hercules received instruction in medicine from Chiron; and it is stated,by Pindar, that Jason was another pupil of his. With these .Escu- lapius went, as physician, on the celebrated A rgoiiatitic expedition. At the end of his career, the Centaur became, it is said, the sign of the zodiac, Sagittarius.7 1 mad, xi. ' Pythian Ode, vi. • This may have been a fraxlnua, or true ash,—a Cameras tree In mytbl- oa] hlBtory. The mountain-Bab, or rowan-tree (Pi/rui oueupenrto), however^ baa been believed from time Immemorial i possess great magical powers, n averted Fascination, evil spirits, and diseases. Faith in it is still wide- spread. Baa Ourtoaitles ol Indo-European Tradition and Folk-lore, by Walter K. Kelly, p. 189 ai n ■/ London, 1863. • Died, \i\ ' Ibid., \i. * Hantaan Ode, iii. It is worthy of remark that, while the form of Chiron, or Uhelron, serves as a phannaolatrs symbol, he has, probably, bequeathed his name to the healer of wounds and the Ilka,—the surgeon. The word surgeon is from the Latin, eMrwgus, or, rather, the French, ehirurgn-n. thirurgenn baa soma standing aa an English word. The Latin, cMrurout, is usually said to have come from the Qreek, rtipoapyueoc, a word compounded ■ •( l i. the hand, and spyof, worker, meaning one who works with the hand, it seems likely, however, that the name of the Centaur, xc'Pv< suggested the application of the word to the surgeon.