754 INTRODUCTORY LECTURE ON HIPPOPATHOLOGY. 
of the healing art. When we consider how, as in Egypt, 
the ox was worshipped as a divinity, and other animals much 
lower in the scale of being participated in this superabun¬ 
dant reverential regard, we can readily believe that every 
care was bestowed on the preservation of animal health, and 
all that human resource could furnish was willingly placed 
at the service of those creatures possessed of this sacred life 
inheritance. 
Amongst the ancient Greeks, those patrons and cultiva¬ 
tors of aesthetics, in every department of life and action so 
highly polished in their manners, and where everything per¬ 
taining to physical development and the preservation and 
amplification of human beauty received so much attention, 
medicine both as a conservative and healing art obtained 
more than a passing attention. 
The disinclination with which even, the most ardent cul¬ 
tivators of the art undertook any investigation of the dead 
body entailing its dismemberment or dissection, and the 
openly expressed abhorrence with which any such acts were 
regarded by the multitude, acted as an opposing or deterring 
influence to the advancement of that knowledge where all 
principles or exact practice can only be developed by a 
correct understanding of the organisms to be dealt with 
both as respects their structure and function. 
This difficulty of acquiring knowledge of the very basis 
or framework upon which the healing art is built, had, 
with the more enthusiastic workers and thinkers, the effect 
of compelling them to obtain from the study of other living 
forms and organisms more within their reach that which 
they felt was needed. 
In this way, doubtless from sources more purely veteri¬ 
nary, did Hippocrates, the father of medicine himself, obtain 
much of the information from which he drew his inspira¬ 
tion, and which he seems to have utilised as completely as 
he understood the requirements of the art, and the spirit in 
which all connected with the study of medicine must be 
pursued. His remarks regarding the requirements necessary 
to this end are so well and exactly stated, that although 
they may be commented upon they cannot be excelled. 
Amongst those old Greek philosophers and writers there 
is one who, because of his cultivation and practical applica¬ 
tion of all connected with the healing art, in so far as it is 
related to those animals whose treatment is our peculiar 
province, is more to us than even Hippocrates, I mean 
Xenophon. From a much larger field of observation as 
respects his particular department, he naturally discourses 
