PROGRESS IN ANATOMY 



nized philosophic view of the constitution of 

 the world and of man, its denizen; for instance, 

 the atomism of Democritus or some other 

 philosopher's opinions as to the psyche or 

 pneuma. 



There was a school of regular sceptics in 

 Alexandrian times, and scepticism regarding 

 philosophic or scientific knowledge was fre- 

 quent beyond their company. Many physi- 

 cians were inclined to be sceptical of any 

 medical theory. This inclination promoted em- 

 piricism and electicism in medicine. There 

 arose a definite school of so-called Empirics, a 

 name of their own choosing. Although reject- 

 ing theories as to the nature of disease, they 

 were not casual experimenters with likely or 

 foolish remedies. But there had been enough 

 school-talk and argument; cures did not lie in 

 such discussion. The practitioner's efficacy 

 was to be gained from his own observations and 

 even experiments, made with due consideration 

 of the clinical experience recorded by others. 

 If the case was novel, the analogies of not too 

 dissimilar cases might apply. There were good 

 surgeons among these Empirics, who were 

 adding their own experience to the general 

 store. 



[9i] 



