528 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



necessity, be once more employed, as in tlie olden time, to deaden the 

 pain of a surgical operation, and that, too, with comparatively little risk to 

 life. 



The arguments presented are certainly sufficient to warrant the belief 

 that mandragora was used as an anaesthetic in antiquity. In order to 

 arrive at some idea of liow common the use of anaesthetics was, I have 

 examined a considerable number of passages (about a hundred and fifty 

 in all) in Greek and Roman literature wliich bear on surgery, — most of 

 them incidentally. The majority of these are so general that no infor- 

 mation can be obtained from them ; some of them show plainly that the 

 author knew nothing about anaesthesia, and none of them give evidence 

 that the use of anaesthetics was common in ancient surgery. The most 

 important of these passages I submit here : 



Hipp., 1. 60 : When the operation consists of a single incision it should be 

 made quickly; for, owing to the fact that the patients suffer pain, the time 

 of the operation ought to be as short as possible. 



The words which follow these in the text show still further that the 

 author had no thought of anaesthesia when he wrote the passage. 



Xenoph., Mem., 1. 2. 54: They allow physicians to cut and cauterize them 

 ■with sufferings and pains. 



Plato, Pol., 29-') A: The physicians . . . if . . . they heal us, cutting or 

 cauterizing or inflicting some other painful thing upon ns. 



Id., Gorg., 479 A: Like a child fearing cutting and cauterizing because it 

 is painful. 



Id., Ibid., 480 C : Not to flinch, but to close the eyes and submit manfully, 

 just as one allows a physician to cut and cauterize one, aiming at the good 

 result, not reckoning the pain. 



Aristotle, Probl., A. 35 : Is the incision easier and freer from pain 

 because iron takes a keener edge ? 



Cic, Tusc. Disp., 5.73: Shall Epicurus be allowed to say that the wise 

 man finds no time, even though he be burned, or wrenched, or cut, when he 

 cannot exclaim, " How I despise (these pains) ! " ? 



Plin., 29.13: It is said tliat he (Archagathus, the first Greek physician 

 at Rome) was a skilful surgeon, and that his coming was wonderfully 

 acceptable at first, but that a little later tliey changed his name to the 

 Executioner, from his cruelty in cutting and cauterizing. 



Cic, Tusc. Disp., 2. 35: When Gains Marius had his varicose veins cut 

 he suffered pain. 



