the evolution of modern medicine(现代医药的演变)-第12章
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only permitted to enter the temple when they were adequately prepared by
cleansing； inunction and fumigation。 This lengthy and exhausting
preparation； partly dietetic； partly suggestive； was accompanied by a
solemn service of prayer and sacrifice； whose symbolism tended highly to
excite the imagination。〃＇14＇
＇13＇ Caton： Temples and Ritual of Asklepios； 2d ed。； London； 1900。
＇14＇ Max Neuburger： History of Medicine； English translation； Oxford；
1910； p。 94。
The temples were in charge of members of the guild or fraternity； the
head of which was often； though not necessarily； a physician。 The Chief
was appointed annually。 From Caton's excellent sketch＇15＇ you can get a
good idea of the ritual； but still better is the delightful description given in
the 〃Plutus〃 of Aristophanes。 After offering honey…cakes and baked meats
on the altar； the suppliants arranged themselves on the pallets。
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＇15＇ Caton： Temples and Ritual of Asklepios； 2d ed。； London； 1900。
Soon the Temple servitor Put out the lights and bade us fall asleep；
Nor stir； nor speak； whatever noise we heard。 So down we lay in orderly
repose。 And I could catch no slumber； not one wink； Struck by a nice
tureen of broth which stood A little distance from an old wife's head；
Whereto I marvellously longed to creep。 Then； glancing upwards； I beheld
the priest Whipping the cheese…cakes and figs from off The holy table；
thence he coasted round To every altar spying what was left。 And
everything he found he consecrated Into a sort of sack＇16＇
a procedure which reminds one of the story of 〃Bel and the Dragon。〃
Then the god came； in the person of the priest； and scanned each patient。
He did not neglect physical measures； as he brayed in a mortar cloves；
Tenian garlic； verjuice； squills and Sphettian vinegar； with which he made
application to the eyes of the patient。
＇16＇ Aristophanes： B。 B。 Roger's translation； London； Bell & Sons；
1907； Vol。 VI； ll。 668； etc。； 732 ff。
Then the God clucked； And out there issued from the holy shrine Two
great； enormous serpents。。。。 And underneath the scarlet cloth they crept；
And licked his eyelids； as it seemed to me； And； mistress dear； before you
could have drunk Of wine ten goblets； Wealth arose and saw。＇17＇
＇17＇ Ibid。
The incubation sleep； in which indications of cure were divinely sent；
formed an important part of the ritual。
The Asklepieion； or Health Temple of Cos； recently excavated； is of
special interest； as being at the birthplace of Hippocrates； who was himself
an Asklepiad。 It is known that Cos was a great medical school。 The
investigations of Professor Rudolf Hertzog have shown that this temple
was very nearly the counterpart of the temple at Epidaurus。
The AEsculapian temples may have furnished a rare field for empirical
enquiry。 As with our modern hospitals； the larger temple had rich libraries；
full of valuable manuscripts and records of cases。 That there may have
been secular Asklepiads connected with the temple； who were freed
entirely from its superstitious practices and theurgic rites； is regarded as
doubtful； yet is perhaps not so doubtful as one might think。 How often
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have we physicians to bow ourselves in the house of Rimmon！ It is very
much the same today at Lourdes； where lay physicians have to look after
scores of patients whose faith is too weak or whose maladies are too
strong to be relieved by Our Lady of this famous shrine。 Even in the
Christian era； there is evidence of the association of distinguished
physicians with AEsculapian temples。 I notice that in one of his
anatomical treatises； Galen speaks with affection of a citizen of Pergamos
who has been a great benefactor of the AEsculapian temple of that city。 In
〃Marius； the Epicurean；〃 Pater gives a delightful sketch of one of those
temple health resorts； and brings in Galen； stating that he had himself
undergone the temple sleep； but to this I can find no reference in the
general index of Galen's works。
From the votive tablets found at Epidaurus； we get a very good idea of
the nature of the cases and of the cures。 A large number of them have now
been deciphered。 There are evidences of various forms of diseases of the
joints； affections of women； wounds； baldness； gout； but we are again in
the world of miracles； as you may judge from the following： 〃Heraicus of
Mytilene is bald and entreats the God to make his hair grow。 An ointment
is applied over night and the next morning he has a thick crop of hair。〃
There are indications that operations were performed and abscesses
opened。 From one we gather that dropsy was treated in a novel way：
Asklepios cuts off the patient's head； holds him up by the heels； lets the
water run out； claps on the patient's head again。 Here is one of the
invocations： 〃Oh； blessed Asklepios； God of Healing； it is thanks to thy
skill that Diophantes hopes to be relieved from his incurable and horrible
gout； no longer to move like a crab； no longer to walk upon thorns； but to
have sound feet as thou hast decreed。〃 The priests did not neglect the
natural means of healing。 The inscriptions show that great attention was
paid to diet； exercise； massage and bathing； and that when necessary；
drugs were used。 Birth and death were believed to defile the sacred
precincts； and it was not until the time of the Antonines that provision was
made at Epidaurus for these contingencies。
One practice of the temple was of special interest； viz。； the incubation
sleep； in which dreams were suggested to the patients。 In the religion of
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Babylonia； an important part was played by the mystery of sleep； and the
interpretation of dreams； and no doubt from the East the Greeks took over
the practice of divination in sleep； for in the AEsculapian cult also； the
incubation sleep played a most important role。 That it continued in later
times is well indicated in the orations of Aristides； the arch…neurasthenic of
ancient history； who was a great dreamer of dreams。 The oracle of
Amphiaraus in Attica sent dreams into the hearts of his consultants。 〃The
priests take the inquirer； and keep him fasting from food for one day； and
from wine for three days； to give him perfect spiritual lucidity to absorb
the divine communication〃 （Phillimore's 〃Apollonius of Tyana；〃 Bk。 II； Ch。
XXXVII）。 How incubation sleep was carried into the Christian Church； its
association with St。 Cosmas and St。 Damian and other saints； its practice
throughout the Middle Ages； and its continuation to our own time may be
read in the careful study of the subject made by Miss Hamilton （now Mrs。
Dickens）。＇18＇ There are still in parts of Greece and in Asia Minor shrines
at which incubation is practiced regularly； and if one may judge from the
reports； with as great success as in Epidaurus。 At one place in Britain；
Christchurch in Monmouthshire； incubation was carried on till the early
part of the nineteenth century。 Now the profession has come back to the
study of dreams；＇19＇ and there are professors as ready to give suggestive
interpretations to them； as in the days of Aristides。 As usual； Aristotle
seems to have said the last word on the subject： 〃Even scientific
physicians tell us that one should pay diligent attention to dreams； and to
hold this view is reasonable also for those who are not practitioners but
speculative philosophers；〃＇20＇ but it is asking too much to think that the
Deity would trouble to send dreams to very simple people and to animals；
if they were designed in any way to reveal the future。
In its struggle with Christianity； Paganism made its last stand in the
temples of Asklepios。 The miraculous healing of the saints superseded the
cures of the heathen god； and it was wise to adopt the useful practice of his
temple。
＇18＇ Mary Hamilton： Incubation； or the Cure of Disease in Pagan
Temples and Christian Churches； London； 1906。
＇19＇ Freud： The Interpretation of Dreams； translation of third edition
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by A。 A。 Brill； 1913。
＇20＇ Aristotle： Parva Naturalia； De divinatione per somnium； Ch。 I；
Oxford ed。； Vol。 III； 463 a。
HIPPOCRATES AND THE HIPPOCRATIC
WRITINGS
DESERVEDLY the foundation of Greek Medicine is associated with
the name of Hippocrates； a native of the island of Cos； and yet he is a
shadowy personality； about whom we have little accurate first…hand
information。 This is in strong contrast to some of his distinguished
contemporaries and successors； for example； Plato and Aristotle； about
whom we have such full and accurate knowledge。 You will； perhaps； be
surprised to hear that the only contemporary mention of Hippocrates is
made by Plato。 In the 〃Protagoras；〃 the young Hippocrates； son of
Apollodorus has come to Protagoras； 〃that mighty wise man；〃 to learn the
science and knowledge of human life。 Socrates asked him： 〃If 。 。 。 you had
thought of going to Hippocrates of Cos； the Asclepiad； and were about to
give him your money； and some one had said to you； 'You are paying
money to your namesake Hippocrates； O Hippocrates； tell me； what is he
that you give him money？' how would you have a
