the evolution of modern medicine(现代医药的演变)-第29章
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〃For he who has once recovered from that disease hath not only obtained a
pure balsaamical blood； whereby for the future he is rendered free from
any recidivation of the same evil； but also infallibly cures the same
affection in his neighbour 。 。 。 and by the mysterious power of Magnetism
transplants that balsaam and conserving quality into the blood of another。〃
He was rash enough to go further and say that the cures effected by the
relics of the saints were also due to the same causea statement which led
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to a great discussion with the theologians and to Van Helmont's arrest for
heresy； and small wonder； when he makes such bold statements as 〃Let the
Divine enquire only concerning God； the Naturalist concerning Nature；〃
and 〃God in the production of miracles does for the most part walk hand
in hand with Nature。〃
＇16＇ An English translation by Walter Charleton appeared in 1650；
entitled 〃A Ternary of Paradoxes。〃
That wandering genius； Sir Kenelm Digby； did much to popularize
this method of treatment by his lecture on the 〃Powder of Sympathy。〃＇17＇
His powder was composed of copperas alone or mixed with gum
tragacanth。 He regarded the cure as effected through the subtle influence
of the sympathetic spirits or； as Highmore says； by 〃atomicall energy
wrought at a distance；〃 and the remedy could be applied to the wound
itself； or to a cloth soaked in the blood or secretions； or to the weapon that
caused the wound。 One factor leading to success may have been that in the
directions which Digby gave for treating the wound （in the celebrated case
of James Howell； for instance）； it was to be let alone and kept clean。 The
practice is alluded to very frequently by the poets。 In the 〃Lay of the Last
Minstrel〃 we find the following：
＇17 French edition； 1668； English translation； same year。 For a
discussion on the author of the weapon salve see Van Helmont； who gives
the various formulas。 Highmore （1651） says the 〃powder is a Zaphyrian
salt calcined by a celestial fire operating in Leo and Cancer into a Lunar
complexion。〃
But she has ta'en the broken lance； And wash'd it from the clotted
gore； And salved the splinter o'er and o'er。 William of Deloraine； in trance；
Whene'er she turn'd it round and round； Twisted； as if she gall'd his wound；
Then to her maidens she did say； That he should be whole man and sound；
（Canto iii； xxiii。）
and in Dryden's 〃Tempest〃 （V； 1） Ariel says：
Anoint the Sword which pierc'd him with the Weapon…Salve； And
wrap it close from Air till I have time To visit him again。
From Van Helmont comes the famous story of the new nose that
dropped off in sympathy with the dead arm from which it was taken； and
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the source of the famous lines of Hudibras。 As I have not seen the original
story quoted of late years it may be worth while to give it： 〃A certain
inhabitant of Bruxels； in a combat had his nose mowed off； addressed
himself to Tagliacozzus； a famous Chirurgein； living at Bononia； that he
might procure a new one； and when he feared the incision of his own arm；
he hired a Porter to admit it； out of whose arm； having first given the
reward agreed upon； at length he dig'd a new nose。 About thirteen moneths
after his return to his own Countrey； on a sudden the ingrafted nose grew
cold； putrified； and within few days drops off。 To those of his friends that
were curious in the exploration of the cause of this unexpected misfortune；
it was discovered； that the Porter expired； neer about the same punctilio of
time； wherein the nose grew frigid and cadaverous。 There are at Bruxels
yet surviving；some of good repute； that were eye…witnesses of these
occurrences。〃＇18＇
＇18＇ Charleton： Of the Magnetic Cure of Wounds； London； 1650； p。
13。
Equally in the history of science and of medicine； 1542 is a starred
year； marked by a revolution in our knowledge alike of Macrocosm and
Microcosm。 In Frauenburg； the town physician and a canon； now nearing
the Psalmist limit and his end； had sent to the press the studies of a
lifetime〃De revolutionibus orbium coelestium。〃 It was no new thought；
no new demonstration that Copernicus thus gave to his generation。
Centuries before； men of the keenest scientific minds from Pythagoras on
had worked out a heliocentric theory； fully promulgated by Aristarchus；
and very generally accepted by the brilliant investigators of the
Alexandrian school； but in the long interval； lapped in Oriental lethargy；
man had been content to acknowledge that the heavens declare the glory
of God and that the firmament sheweth his handiwork。 There had been
great astronomers before Copernicus。 In the fifteenth century Nicholas of
Cusa and Regiomontanus had hinted at the heliocentric theory； but 1512
marks an epoch in the history of science； since for all time Copernicus put
the problem in a way that compelled acquiescence。
Nor did Copernicus announce a truth perfect and complete； not to be
modified； but there were many contradictions and lacunae which the work
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of subsequent observers had to reconcile and fill up。 For long years
Copernicus had brooded over the great thoughts which his careful
observation had compelled。 We can imagine the touching scene in the little
town when his friend Osiander brought the first copy of the precious
volume hot from the press； a well enough printed book。 Already on his
deathbed； stricken with a long illness； the old man must have had doubts
how his work would be received； though years before Pope Clement VII
had sent him encouraging words。 Fortunately death saved him from the
〃rending〃 which is the portion of so many innovators and discoverers。 His
great contemporary reformer； Luther； expressed the view of the day when
he said the fool will turn topsy…turvy the whole art of astronomy； but the
Bible says that Joshua commanded the Sun to stand still； not the Earth。
The scholarly Melanchthon； himself an astronomer； thought the book so
godless that he recommended its suppression （Dannemann； Grundriss）。
The church was too much involved in the Ptolemaic system to accept any
change and it was not until 1822 that the works of Copernicus were
removed from the Index。
VESALIUS
THE same year； 1542； saw a very different picture in the far…famed
city of Padua； 〃nursery of the arts。〃 The central figure was a man not yet in
the prime of life； and justly full of its pride； as you may see from his
portrait。 Like Aristotle and Hippocrates cradled and nurtured in an
AEsculapian family； Vesalius was from his childhood a student of nature；
and was now a wandering scholar； far from his Belgian home。 But in Italy
he had found what neither Louvain nor Paris could give； freedom in his
studies and golden opportunities for research in anatomy。 What an
impression he must have made on the student body at Padua may be
judged from the fact that shortly after his graduation in December； 1537；
at the age of twenty…four； he was elected to the chair of anatomy and
surgery。 Two things favored himan insatiate desire to see and handle for
himself the parts of the human frame； and an opportunity； such as had
never before been offered to the teacher； to obtain material for the study of
human anatomy。 Learned with all the learning of the Grecians and of the
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Arabians； Vesalius grasped； as no modern before him had done； the
cardinal fact that to know the human machine and its working； it is
necessary first to know its partsits fabric。
To appreciate the work of this great man we must go back in a brief
review of the growth of the study of anatomy。
Among the Greeks only the Alexandrians knew human anatomy。 What
their knowledge was we know at second hand； but the evidence is plain
that they knew a great deal。 Galen's anatomy was first…class and was based
on the Alexandrians and on his studies of the ape and the pig。 We have
already noted how much superior was his osteology to that of Mundinus。
Between the Alexandrians and the early days of the School of Salernum
we have no record of systematic dissections of the human body。 It is even
doubtful if these were permitted at Salernum。 Neuburger states that the
instructions of Frederick II as to dissections were merely nominal。
How atrocious was the anatomy of the early Middle Ages may be
gathered from the cuts in the works of Henri de Mondeville。 In the
Bodleian Library is a remarkable Latin anatomical treatise of the late
thirteenth century； of English provenance； one illustration from which will
suffice to show the ignorance of the author。 Mundinus of Bologna； one of
the first men in the Middle Ages to study anatomy from the subject； was
under the strong domination of the Arabians； from whom he appears to
have received a very imperfect Galenic anatomy。 From this date we meet
with occasional dissections at various schools； but we have seen that in the
elaborate curriculum of the University of Padua in the middle of the
fifteenth century there was no provision for the study of the subject。 Even
well into the sixteenth century dissections were not common； and the old
practice was followed of holding a professorial discourse； while
