Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1921. 
Notes  on  Ancient  Medicine. 
779 
their  downfall,  and  the  term  empire  eventually  became  a  word  of 
reproach.  The  Methodici,  of  whom  Themison  in  the  first  century 
B.  C.  was  the  founder,  attempted  to  steer  a  middle  course  between 
the  two  sects  previously  mentioned.  Cselius  Aurelianus  was  the 
principal  writer  of  this  sect  and  his  book  on  acute  and  chronic  ill- 
ness is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  antiquity.  The  Episynthetici 
appear  to  have  been  a  branch  of  the  Methodici,  which  adopted  for 
their  own  the  best  opinions  of  the  other  sects.  It  was  founded 
about  the  year  100  A.  D.  by  Agathinus  of  Sparta,  and  his  pupil, 
Archigenes,  is  the  father  of  the  Eclectici.  We  are  not  informed  as 
to  the  doctrines  of  the  latter  sect  but  they  probably  attempted  to 
reconcile  the  tenets  of  the  older  sects. 
Besides  the  school  at  Alexandria  already  mentioned,  others  were 
established  at  Cyrene  in  Africa,  Crotona,  Cnidos,  Rhodes,  and  Cos. 
The  latter  is  the  most  famous,  as  this  town  was  the  birthplace  of 
Hippocrates,  and  from  the  school  came  many  of  the  most  eminent 
ancient  physicians.  » 
Before  going  into  the  subject  of  medicine  it  is  well  to  note  that 
the  physicians  and  surgeons  of  early  days  had  their  troubles.  There 
was,  to  speak  mildly,  a  great  deal  of  diffidence  regarding  the  use  of 
medicines  at  all,  and  often  bitter  antagonism.  The  physician  had' 
not  only  to  develop  a  science  from  nothing,  but  it  was  also  necessary 
to  educate  the  public  into  the  view  that  he  was  a  real  benefactor  to 
society.  Some  of  the  antagonisms  may  be  noted  in  the  quaint -and 
sometimes  fanciful  phraseology  of  sixteenth  century  English.  I 
quote  from  Burton: 
"  'Twas  Plinies  (first  century  A.  D.)  dilemma  of  old — every 
disease  is  either  curable  or  incurable,  a  man  recovers  of  it  or  is 
killed  by  it;  both  wayes  physick  is  to  be  rejected;  if  it  is  deadly  it 
cannot  be  cured ;  if  it  may  be  helped,  it  requires  no  physician ;  nature 
will  expell  it  of  it  selfe." 
"Plato  (fourth  century  B.  C.)  made  it  a  great  signe  of  an  intem- 
perate and  corrupt  commonwealth,  where  lawyers  and  physicians 
did  abound ;  and  the  Romans  distasted  them  -so  much,  that  they  were 
often  banished  out  of  their  city,  as  Pliny  and  Celsus  (contemporary 
of  Pliny)  relate,  for  six  hundred  years  not  admitted.  It  is  no  art 
at  all,  as  some  hold,  no  not  worthy  the  name  of  a  liberall  science 
*  *  *  'tis  a  corrupt  trade  *  *  *  no  profession;  the  begin- 
ning, practice  and  progress  of  it,  all  is  naught,  full  of  imposture, 
incertainty,  and  doth  generally  more  harm  than  good.    The  divel 
