74 toner's address. 
Time will not permit me to dwell further upon this 
subject, but the few facts presented will, I trust, ren- 
the ancient nations whose mythology bears testimony to the very early 
appearance of the physician, as well as to the general and high esteem 
in which the art of physic was held. The habits and mental peculiar- 
ities of uncivilized races being considered, it is probable that the prom- 
inent mythological divinities of remote antiquity had their origin from 
individuals who, by the possession of genius, became leaders among the 
people. Success not only makes but crowns the hero, and the eminent 
service that wins applause may soon command obeisance from the mul- 
titude. The hero of one generation easily becomes the divinity of an- 
other. Frequently the early history of mankind attributes to the same 
exalted character many special qualities, and sometimes divine powers. 
Plence it is that a number of the great names honored as divinities by 
the early Hindoos, Egyptians, Phoenicians, and Greeks, were noted 
for their skill in physic. 
It is a fact worthy of remark that nearly every nation has referred 
the source of its medical knowledge to the gods. The Egyptian god 
of medicine was Hermes, the Mercury or Hermes Trismegistus of 
the Greeks. He is perhaps the oldest physician on record. By the 
Egyptians his name is variously designated, as Tholh or Thuti ; and 
Taaut. To him is attributed the invention of medicine and the 
sciences, and also letters and a written language, and he is denomi- 
nated the adviser and secretary of Osiris. In a word, he is repre- 
sented as possessed of such a wide scope of knowledge as to have 
been invested in the eyes of the people and his contemporaries with 
almost superhuman qualities. Of course no certain period can be 
fixed as the time when he lived, but probably 3,000 years before the 
commencement of the Christian era would not be early enough. Mr. 
Ebers, the German archaeologist, in the winter of 1872, obtained, in 
the vicinity of Thebes, a roll of papyrus over 60 feet in length and ii 
inches broad, closely written in unknown characters, relating to med- 
icine. The date of this document has since been determined to be 1552 
B. C. It is in good condition, and has been photolithographed. A few 
pages have since been deciphered and the whole published. In time 
scholars will master the record, and should it prove to be genuine it 
will be the oldest work on medicine extant, and possibly prove to be 
one of the six books attributed to Hermes. A copy of the work may 
be seen in the library of the Surgeon-General, at Washington, D. C. 
