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supernatural power。 There is a libation vase of Gudea； c。 2350 B。C。； found
at Telloh； now in the Louvre （probably the earliest representation of the
symbol）； with two serpents entwined round a staff （Jastrow； Pl。 4）。 From
the earliest times the snake has been associated with mystic and magic
power； and even today； among native races； it plays a part in the initiation
of medicine men。
In Greece； the serpent became a symbol of Apollo； and prophetic
serpents were kept and fed at his shrine； as well as at that of his son；
Asklepios。 There was an idea； too； that snakes had a knowledge of herbs；
which is referred to in the famous poem of Nikander on Theriaka。＇12＇ You
may remember that when Alexander； the famous quack and oracle monger；
depicted by Lucian； started out 〃for revenue；〃 the first thing he did was to
provide himself with two of the large； harmless； yellow snakes of Asia
Minor。
＇12＇ Lines 31； etc。； and Scholia； cf。 W。 R。 Halliday： Greek Divination；
London； 1913； p。 88。
The exact date of the introduction of the cult into Greece is not
known； but its great centres were at Epidaurus； Cos； Pergamos and Tricca。
It throve with wonderful rapidity。 Asklepios became one of the most
popular of the gods。 By the time of Alexander it is estimated that there
were between three and four hundred temples dedicated to him。
His worship was introduced into Rome at the time of the Great Plague
at the beginning of the third century B。C。 （as told by Livy in Book XI）；
and the temple on the island of Tiber became a famous resort。 If you can
transfer in imagination the Hot Springs of Virginia to the neighborhood of
Washington； and put there a group of buildings such as are represented in
these outlines of Caton's＇13＇ （p。 52）； add a sumptuous theatre with seating
capacity for 20；000； a stadium 600 feet long with a seating capacity of
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12；000； and all possible accessories of art and science； you will have an
idea of what the temple at Epidaurus； a few miles from Athens； was。 〃The
cult flourished mostly in places which； through climatic or hygienic
advantages； were natural health resorts。 Those favoured spots on hill or
mountain； in the shelter of forests； by rivers or springs of pure flowing
water； were conducive to health。 The vivifying air； the well cultivated
gardens surrounding the shrine； the magnificent view； all tended to cheer
the heart with new hope of cure。 Many of these temples owed their fame
to mineral or merely hot springs。 To the homely altars； erected originally
by sacred fountains in the neighbourhood of health…giving mineral springs；
were later added magnificent temples； pleasure…grounds for festivals；
gymnasia in which bodily ailments were treated by physical exercises；
baths and inunctions； also； as is proved by excavations； living rooms for
the patients。 Access to the shrine was forbidden to the unclean and the
impure； pregnant women and the mortally afflicted were kept away； no
dead body could find a resting…place within the holy precincts； the shelter
and the cure of the sick being undertaken by the keepers of inns and
boarding…houses in the neighbourhood。 The suppliants for aid had to
submit to careful purification； to bathe in sea； river or spring； to fast for a
prescribed time； to abjure wine and certain articles of diet； and they were
only permitted to enter the temple when they were adequately prepared by
cleansing； inunction and fumigation。 This lengthy and exhausting
preparation； partly dietetic； partly suggestive； was accompanied by a
solemn service of prayer and sacrifice； whose symbolism tended highly to
excite the imagination。〃＇14＇
＇13＇ Caton： Temples and Ritual of Asklepios； 2d ed。； London； 1900。
＇14＇ Max Neuburger： History of Medicine； English translation； Oxford；
1910； p。 94。
The temples were in charge of members of the guild or fraternity； the
head of which was often； though not necessarily； a physician。 The Chief
was appointed annually。 From Caton's excellent sketch＇15＇ you can get a
good idea of the ritual； but still better is the delightful description given in
the 〃Plutus〃 of Aristophanes。 After offering honey…cakes and baked meats
on the altar； the suppliants arranged themselves on the pallets。
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＇15＇ Caton： Temples and Ritual of Asklepios； 2d ed。； London； 1900。
Soon the Temple servitor Put out the lights and bade us fall asleep；
Nor stir； nor speak； whatever noise we heard。 So down we lay in orderly
repose。 And I could catch no slumber； not one wink； Struck by a nice
tureen of broth which stood A little distance from an old wife's head；
Whereto I marvellously longed to creep。 Then； glancing upwards； I beheld
the priest Whipping the cheese…cakes and figs from off The holy table；
thence he coasted round To every altar spying what was left。 And
everything he found he consecrated Into a sort of sack＇16＇
a procedure which reminds one of the story of 〃Bel and the Dragon。〃
Then the god came； in the person of the priest； and scanned each patient。
He did not neglect physical measures； as he brayed in a mortar cloves；
Tenian garlic； verjuice； squills and Sphettian vinegar； with which he made
application to the eyes of the patient。
＇16＇ Aristophanes： B。 B。 Roger's translation； London； Bell & Sons；
1907； Vol。 VI； ll。 668； etc。； 732 ff。
Then the God clucked； And out there issued from the holy shrine Two
great； enormous serpents。。。。 And underneath the scarlet cloth they crept；
And licked his eyelids； as it seemed to me； And； mistress dear； before you
could have drunk Of wine ten goblets； Wealth arose and saw。＇17＇
＇17＇ Ibid。
The incubation sleep； in which indications of cure were divinely sent；
formed an important part of the ritual。
The Asklepieion； or Health Temple of Cos； recently excavated； is of
special interest； as being at the birthplace of Hippocrates； who was himself
an Asklepiad。 It is known that Cos was a great medical school。 The
investigations of Professor Rudolf Hertzog have shown that this temple
was very nearly the counterpart of the temple at Epidaurus。
The AEsculapian temples may have furnished a rare field for empirical
enquiry。 As with our modern hospitals； the larger temple had rich libraries；
full of valuable manuscripts and records of cases。 That there may have
been secular Asklepiads connected with the temple； who were freed
entirely from its superstitious practices and theurgic rites； is regarded as
doubtful； yet is perhaps not so doubtful as one might think。 How often
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have we physicians to bow ourselves in the house of Rimmon！ It is very
much the same today at Lourdes； where lay physicians have to look after
scores of patients whose faith is too weak or whose maladies are too
strong to be relieved by Our Lady of this famous shrine。 Even in the
Christian era； there is evidence of the association of distinguished
physicians with AEsculapian temples。 I notice that in one of his
anatomical treatises； Galen speaks with affection of a citizen of Pergamos
who has been a great benefactor of the AEsculapian temple of that city。 In
〃Marius； the Epicurean；〃 Pater gives a delightful sketch of one of those
temple health resorts； and brings in Galen； stating that he had himself
undergone the temple sleep； but to this I can find no reference in the
general index of Galen's works。
From the votive tablets found at Epidaurus； we get a very good idea of
the nature of the cases and of the cures。 A large number of them have now
been deciphered。