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attributed to this wonder…working physician。
＇5＇ Poetical Works of Matthew Arnold； Macmillan & Co。； 1898； p。
440。
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But of no one of the men of this remarkable circle have we such
definite information as of the Crotonian physician Democedes； whose
story is given at length by Herodotus； and his story has also the great
importance of showing that； even at this early period； a well…devised
scheme of public medical service existed in the Greek cities。 It dates from
the second half of the sixth century B。C。fully two generations before
Hippocrates。 A Crotonian； Democedes by name； was found among the
slaves of Oroetes。 Of his fame as a physician someone had heard and he
was called in to treat the dislocated ankle of King Darius。 The wily Greek；
longing for his home； feared that if he confessed to a knowledge of
medicine there would be no chance of escape； but under threat of torture
he undertook a treatment which proved successful。 Then Herodotus tells
his storyhow； ill treated at home in Crotona； Democedes went to AEgina；
where he set up as a physician and in the second year the State of AEgina
hired his services at the price of a talent。 In the third year； the Athenians
engaged him at 100 minae； and in the fourth； Polycrates of Samos at two
talents。 Democedes shared the misfortunes of Polycrates and was taken
prisoner by Oroetes。 Then Herodotus tells how he cured Atossa； the
daughter of Cyrus and wife of Darius； of a severe abscess of the breast； but
on condition that she help him to escape； and she induced her husband to
send an expedition of exploration to Greece under the guidance of
Democedes； but with the instructions at all costs to bring back the much
prized physician。 From Tarentum； Democedes escaped to his native city；
but the Persians followed him； and it was with the greatest difficulty that
he escaped from their hands。 Deprived of their guide； the Persians gave up
the expedition and sailed for Asia。 In palliation of his flight； Democedes
sent a message to Darius that he was engaged to the daughter of Milo； the
wrestler； who was in high repute with the King。＇6＇
＇6＇ The well…known editor of Herodotus； R。 W。 Macan； Master of
University College； Oxford； in his Hellenikon。 A Sheaf of Sonnets after
Herodotus （Oxford； 1898） has included a poem which may be quoted in
connection with this incident：
NOSTALGY Atossa； child of Cyrus king of kings； healed by Greek
science of a morbid breast； gave lord Dareios neither love nor rest till he
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THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
fulfilled her vain imaginings。 〃Sir； show our Persian folk your sceptre's
wings！ Enlarge my sire's and brother's large bequest。 This learned Greek
shall guide your galleys west； and Dorian slave…girls grace our
banquetings。〃 So said she； taught of that o'er…artful man； the Italiote
captive； Kroton's Demokede； who recked not what of maladies began； nor
who in Asia and in Greece might bleed； if heso writes the guileless
Thurian regained his home； and freedom of the Mede。
Plato has several references to these state physicians； who were
evidently elected by a public assembly： 〃When the assembly meets to elect
a physician；〃 and the office was yearly； for in 〃The Statesman〃 we find the
following：＇7＇ 〃When the year of office has expired； the pilot； or physician
has to come before a court of review〃 to answer any charges。 The
physician must have been in practice for some time and attained eminence；
before he was deemed worthy of the post of state physician。
＇7＇ Jowett： Dialogues of Plato； 3d ed。； Statesman； Vol。 IV； p。 502
（Stephanus； II； 298 E）
〃If you and I were physicians； and were advising one another that we
were competent to practice as state…physicians； should I not ask about you；
and would you not ask about me； Well； but how about Socrates himself；
has he good health？ and was anyone else ever known to be cured by him
whether slave or freeman？〃＇7a＇
＇7a＇ Jowett： Dialogues of Plato； 3d ed。； Gorgias； Vol。 II； p。 407
（Stephanus； I； 514 D）。
All that is known of these state physicians has been collected by
Pohl；＇8＇ who has traced their evolution into Roman times。 That they were
secular； independent of the AEsculapian temples； that they were well paid；
that there was keen competition to get the most distinguished men； that
they were paid by a special tax and that they were much esteemed are
facts to be gleaned from Herodotus and from the inscriptions。 The lapidary
records； extending over 1000 years； collected by Professor Oehler＇8a＇ of
Reina； throw an important light on the state of medicine in Greece and
Rome。 Greek vases give representations of these state doctors at work。 Dr。
E。 Pottier has published one showing the treatment of a patient in the
clinic。＇8b＇
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＇8＇ R。 Pohl： De Graecorum medicis publicis； Berolini； Reimer； 1905；
also Janus； Harlem； 1905； X； 491…494。
＇8a＇ J Oehler： Janus； Harlem； 1909； XIV； 4； 111。
＇8b＇ E。 Pottier： Une clinique grecque au Ve siecle； Monuments et
Memoires； XIII； p。 149。 Paris； 1906 （Fondation Eugene Piot）。
That dissections were practiced by this group of nature philosophers
is shown not only by the studies of Alcmaeon； but we have evidence that
one of the latest of them； Diogenes of Apollonia； must have made
elaborate dissections。 In the 〃Historia Animalium〃＇9＇ of Aristotle occurs
his account of the blood vessels； which is by far the most elaborate met
with in the literature until the writings of Galen。 It has； too； the great merit
of accuracy （if we bear in mind the fact that it was not until after Aristotle
that arteries and veins were differentiated）； and indications are given as to
the vessels from which blood may be drawn。
＇9＇ The Works of Aristotle； Oxford； Clarendon Press； Vol。 IV； 1910； Bk。
III； Chaps。 II…IV； pp。 511b…515b。
ASKLEPIOS
No god made with hands； to use the scriptural phrase； had a more
successful 〃run〃 than Asklepiosfor more than a thousand years the
consoler and healer of the sons of men。 Shorn of his divine attributes he
remains our patron saint； our emblematic God of Healing； whose figure
with the serpents appears in our seals and charters。 He was originally a
Thessalian chieftain； whose sons； Machaon and Podalirius； became
famous physicians and fought in the Trojan War。 Nestor； you may
remember； carried off the former； declaring； in the oft…quoted phrase； that
a doctor was better worth saving than many warriors unskilled in the
treatment of wounds。 Later genealogies trace his origin to Apollo；＇10＇ as
whose son he is usually regarded。 〃In the wake of northern tribes this god
Aesculapiusa more majestic figure than the blameless leech of Homer's
songcame by land to Epidaurus and was carried by sea to the east…ward
island of Cos。。。。 Aesculapius grew in importance with the growth of
Greece； but may not have attained his greatest power until Greece and
Rome were one。〃＇11＇
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＇10＇ W。 H。 Roscher： Lexikon der griechischen und romischen
Mythologie； Leipzig； 1886； I； p。 624。
＇11＇ Louis Dyer： Studies of the Gods in Greece； 1891； p。 221。
A word on the idea of the serpent as an emblem of the healing art
which goes far back into antiquity。 The mystical character of the snake；
and the natural dread and awe inspired by it； early made it a symbol of
supernatural power。 There is a libation vase of Gudea； c。 2350 B。C。； found
at