594 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



progress attained in reading its meaning; the ideal "has always to 

 grow in the real, and often to seek out its bed and board there in a 

 very sorry way" (Carlyle). 



The ancient and honorable place of the doctrine of the tempera- 

 ments in the evolution of psychological Imowledge warrants its further 

 consideration. Most influential were the contributions of Galen (a.d. 

 130-200), who developed the views of Hippocrates and whose author- 

 ity dominated the medical world for centuries. The doctrine became a 

 classical heritage through its incorporation in the Gialenic system of 

 medicine. Its survival in the transfer of Greco-Eoman science and tra- 

 dition across the desert of unprogressive ages, with their uncertain and 

 irregular caravans of learning, was due largely to its association with 

 the " humoral " theory of disease. This remained a central as well as a 

 controversial issue in medieval and renaissance medicine, and was 

 effectively retired only by the complete transformation of physiolog- 

 ical conceptions inaugurated by Harvey's discovery of the circulation 

 of the blood (1628). Along with this decisive reform in knowledge 

 and method there was established the clinical temper of the practise of 

 medicine, which was as largely set by Sydenham (1624-1689), as were 

 the experimental standards by Harvey, as similarly the anatomical 

 prerequisite had been supplied by Vesalius (1514-1564). Cumula- 

 tively these advances served to cast off the spell of Galen and to install 

 verification and observation in place of authority. As a herald of the 

 new learning, the philosopher John Locke, a friend of Sydenham's, 

 wrote : 



You can not imagine how a little observation, carefully made by a man not 

 tied up to the four humors (Galen) or salt, sulphur, and mercury (Paracelsus), 

 or to acid and alkali (Sylvius and Willis) which has of late prevailed, will 

 carry a man in the curing of diseases, though very stubborn and dangerous; and 

 that with very little and common things, and almost no medicine at all. 



These considerations show to what extent practises kept alive systems 

 precariously supported by principles. Symptoms such as fevers and 

 chills, parching and perspiration, substantiated the hot and cold, the 

 dry and moist as clinical realities. Eemedies were prescribed to coun- 

 teract them, diets were arranged according to degree of dryness and 

 moisture. Even when the classic doctrines were discarded, they were 

 replaced by others developed in like manner.^ 



1 Medical theories and practise were reflected in popular lore. To recall the 

 spirit of the ministrations it is sufBcient to cite the venerable Chaucerian diag- 

 nosis made by Pertelote of Chanticlere 's affrighting dream. This was ascribed 

 to "the grete superfluitie Of your reede colera, parde. Which causeth folk to 

 dremen in her dremes Of arwes, and of fyre with reede leemes, Right as the 

 humour of malencolie Causeth ful many a man, in sleep, to crye. For fere of 

 beres, or of boles blake, Or elles blake develes woln him take. Of other* 

 humours couthe I telle also, That wirken many a man in slep ful woo; But I 

 wxol passe as lightly as I can. ..." She then advises digestives and laxatives 

 to purge him of ' ' choler ' ' and of ' ' melancolie, ' ' though she bids him remember 



