THE HIPPOCRATICS 



The tone of this great aphorism 16 is in accord 

 with Hippocrates' great and serious view of 

 medicine and the noble calling of the physician. 

 Futurity might well be grateful to him for the 

 high ethics of his vast authority. Sage hints 

 as to the physician's demeanor are given in 

 these works. Says the little piece which is 

 called Nomos, the Law or Canon: " Medicine 

 is of all the arts the most noble; but owing to 

 the ignorance of those who practice it ... it 

 is far behind the other arts. ... As the mute 

 figures on the stage have the shape, dress and 

 appearance of actors, and yet are not, so 

 physicians are many in title, but very few in 

 reality. 



" Whoever is to acquire a competent knowl- 

 edge of medicine ought to have the following 

 advantages: a natural disposition; instruction; 

 a favorable position for the study; early 

 tuition; love of labor; leisure. First of all, a 

 natural talent is required, for when Nature 

 opposes, everything else is in vain; but when 

 Nature leads the way to what is most excellent, 

 instruction in the art takes place, which the 

 student must appropriate to himself by reflec- 

 tion, early becoming a pupil in a place well 

 adapted for instruction. He must also bring to 



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