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For ages all nations supposed that the sick were possessed of evil spirits, and 

 the " practice of medicine " consisted chiefly in efforts to frighten away these 

 spirits. Hence loud and discordant noise, beating drums, blowing horns, ciasn- 

 ing cymbals and yelling, done chiefly by those who acted as doctors of divinity 



Later on all sickness was supposed to be caused by bad or impure blood. 

 Then came the period of bleeding and dosing with powerful and pernicious 

 drugs. 



In these modern days the relics of the old time are gradually giving way to 

 better, simpler and more natural methods. 



