HOSPITALS, THEIR ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION 483 



campaign which would do credit to a much more enlightened age. 

 Special communities also isolated and nursed cases of erysipelas known 

 as St. Anthony's fire, St. Francis's fire, etc. But the most important 

 event in the history of hospitals in the period we must now consider, 

 the middle ages, was the foundation of the order of the Holy Ghost, 

 resulting, as it did, in a golden age of hospital building extending from 

 the thirteenth to the fifteenth century and not equaled again till the 

 hospital renaissance of the nineteenth century. 



In the middle of the twelfth century Guy of Montpellier established 

 the Hospital of the Holy Ghost in the city of his name. Montpellier 

 was at that time the medical mecca of Europe and attracted students 

 from remote cities. Not only the reputation of the hospital, but the 

 order itself spread rapidly through France, building and managing 

 hospitals. 



Innocent III., the great militant pope, who did so much to strengthen 

 the temporal power of the pontiff, had recently builded a hospital in 

 Rome. It was characteristic of his genius that he foresaw the need of 

 hospitals and the great work they might accomplish. He determined 

 to promote their building not only in Rome and the Papal states, but 

 also wherever his influence extended. To this end he summoned Guy 

 to Rome and gave him charge of the new hospital of Santo Spirito. 

 Visitors from all parts of the world were shown this hospital and en- 

 couraged to establish similar ones in their own communities. The ob- 

 ject lesson served such a useful purpose that very soon hospitals were 

 arising in every city of importance in Europe. The " Benificienza 

 Romana" of Querini gives the names of thirty hospitals founded in 

 Rome itself from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. 



The part played by the crusades and the military and hospital orders 

 in the evolution of hospitals can not be overlooked. Disease and pesti- 

 lence were more potent in defeating the crusaders than the swords 

 of the Saracens, and the military hospital orders found abundant em- 

 ployment. The Knights of St. John, an order founded to care for the 

 sick and wounded, maintained after the conquest a hospital at Jeru- 

 salem said to accommodate 2,000 patients. Many priories were estab- 

 lished in various parts of Europe while the order flourished. At first 

 the knights acted as nurses and physicians to the sick crusaders; the 

 military features of the order developed later. The organization be- 

 came very rich and powerful in the course of time, and, swerving 

 from its original purpose, degenerated and finally fell into disrepute. 

 The Teutonic order, an organization of German knights banded together 

 for labor in the Holy Land, did splendid work in building and man- 

 aging hospitals. Many German hospitals were under its control and, 

 unlike the Knights of St. John, it adhered closely to its original pur- 

 pose. War and consequent financial reverses caused its dismemberment. 



