( 291 ) 



Observations on the History and Progress of Comparative 

 Anatomy. By David Craigie, M. D., &c. (Continued 

 from page 162.) 



Section II. — TJie Middle Ages to the Revival of Literature. 



A HE death of Galen, which took place at Pergamiis in the 

 90th year of his age, and 193d year of the Christian era, may 

 be regarded as the downfall of anatomy in ancient times. After 

 this period are recognised scarcely more than three names deserv- 

 ing mention in the history of anatomical science, those of Ori- 

 basiuSj the friend and physician of the Emperor JuHan the 

 apostate, Theophilus, chief of the imperial guard of Heraclius, 

 and Meletius a monk, the author of a treatise De Natura et 

 Structura Hominis. 



The unsettled state of society during the latter ages of the 

 Roman Empire, was extremely unfavourable to the cultivation 

 of science. The weakness and decrepitude of the imperial ad- 

 ministration after its transference to the East, demonstrated by 

 the formation of turbulent factions, diverted the attention of 

 mankind from literature and philosophy to the more briUiant 

 game of ambition and political intrigue. Even the introduction 

 of Christianity, by condemning to execration all the monuments 

 of pagan genius, appears to have exercised a pernicious influ- 

 ence on the progress of science ; and the sanguinary persecu- 

 tions of which it was made the pretext, tended in the most re- 

 markable manner to extinguish science, and embitter the exist- 

 ence of its few remaining votaries. The Christian sect distin- 

 guished by the name of Nestorians, had signalized themselves 

 in the course of the 5th century by the cultivation of philosophy 

 and medicine ; and had founded a school at Edessa, taugnt by 

 able instructors, and among others a physician named Stephen, 

 well known as the medical adviser of Haroun al Raschid. To 

 these unlucky enthusiasts, however, the rigid orthodoxy of 

 Theodosius II., Zeno the Isaurian, and Justinian, proved fatal ; 

 and they were compelled, after much persecution, to abandon 

 Edessa. From the 5th to the 8th century, the empire, divided 

 by internal discord, and assailed on every side by the rude bar. 



