ioo SCIENCE IN GRECO-ROMAN ANTIQUITY 



of Christian monks, commented on Diophantus and 

 Apollonius. 



If the exact sciences made but little progress, it 

 was not the same with medicine. 1 A disciple of 

 Asclepiades, Themison of Laodicea, founded the 

 methodic school, who considered that all maladies 

 arose from the general state of the body, a theory 

 which might, however, lead to regrettable negligence 

 of special symptoms. Soranus of Ephesus was the 

 most distinguished representative of this school in 

 the second century. His literary output was very 

 abundant and embraced all the subjects of medical 

 interest, as well as the history of this science ; unfor- 

 tunately we only possess fragments of it, but these are 

 sufficient to justify their author's reputation as a 

 gynaecologist. Soranus treats not only of the child to 

 be born and of the birth, but gives wise advice on the 

 first cares to be lavished after the accouchement, on the 

 choice of a wet-nurse, and on the treatment of abnormal 

 and sickly infants. During the accouchement the 

 mother must not be lying on a bed, but placed in a 

 chair, specially constructed for this purpose. As to 

 abortion, it must only be practised in an exceptional 

 manner, and only in cases where the woman is unable 

 to bring her child into the world without endangering 

 her life. The newly-born babe must be nursed by its 

 mother if possible. In any case, the meals must be 

 regular, and the breast must not be given to quiet a 

 child because it cries ; for its cries, provided they do 

 not last too long, are excellent exercise for the lungs. 

 After a year and a half or two years the baby must be 

 weaned, preferably in the spring. 



In opposition to the Methodic school, there arose 

 the Pneumatic school founded by Athenaeus (of Asia 

 Minor), which connected its principles with the Stoic 

 1 15 Heiberg, Naturwiss., p. 89 et seq. 



