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the nature of the cases and of the cures。 A large number of them have now
been deciphered。 There are evidences of various forms of diseases of the
joints； affections of women； wounds； baldness； gout； but we are again in
the world of miracles； as you may judge from the following： 〃Heraicus of
Mytilene is bald and entreats the God to make his hair grow。 An ointment
is applied over night and the next morning he has a thick crop of hair。〃
There are indications that operations were performed and abscesses
opened。 From one we gather that dropsy was treated in a novel way：
Asklepios cuts off the patient's head； holds him up by the heels； lets the
water run out； claps on the patient's head again。 Here is one of the
invocations： 〃Oh； blessed Asklepios； God of Healing； it is thanks to thy
skill that Diophantes hopes to be relieved from his incurable and horrible
gout； no longer to move like a crab； no longer to walk upon thorns； but to
have sound feet as thou hast decreed。〃 The priests did not neglect the
natural means of healing。 The inscriptions show that great attention was
paid to diet； exercise； massage and bathing； and that when necessary；
drugs were used。 Birth and death were believed to defile the sacred
precincts； and it was not until the time of the Antonines that provision was
made at Epidaurus for these contingencies。
One practice of the temple was of special interest； viz。； the incubation
sleep； in which dreams were suggested to the patients。 In the religion of
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Babylonia； an important part was played by the mystery of sleep； and the
interpretation of dreams； and no doubt from the East the Greeks took over
the practice of divination in sleep； for in the AEsculapian cult also； the
incubation sleep played a most important role。 That it continued in later
times is well indicated in the orations of Aristides； the arch…neurasthenic of
ancient history； who was a great dreamer of dreams。 The oracle of
Amphiaraus in Attica sent dreams into the hearts of his consultants。 〃The
priests take the inquirer； and keep him fasting from food for one day； and
from wine for three days； to give him perfect spiritual lucidity to absorb
the divine communication〃 （Phillimore's 〃Apollonius of Tyana；〃 Bk。 II； Ch。
XXXVII）。 How incubation sleep was carried into the Christian Church； its
association with St。 Cosmas and St。 Damian and other saints； its practice
throughout the Middle Ages； and its continuation to our own time may be
read in the careful study of the subject made by Miss Hamilton （now Mrs。
Dickens）。＇18＇ There are still in parts of Greece and in Asia Minor shrines
at which incubation is practiced regularly； and if one may judge from the
reports； with as great success as in Epidaurus。 At one place in Britain；
Christchurch in Monmouthshire； incubation was carried on till the early
part of the nineteenth century。 Now the profession has come back to the
study of dreams；＇19＇ and there are professors as ready to give suggestive
interpretations to them； as in the days of Aristides。 As usual； Aristotle
seems to have said the last word on the subject： 〃Even scientific
physicians tell us that one should pay diligent attention to dreams； and to
hold this view is reasonable also for those who are not practitioners but
speculative philosophers；〃＇20＇ but it is asking too much to think that the
Deity would trouble to send dreams to very simple people and to animals；
if they were designed in any way to reveal the future。
In its struggle with Christianity； Paganism made its last stand in the
temples of Asklepios。 The miraculous healing of the saints superseded the
cures of the heathen god； and it was wise to adopt the useful practice of his
temple。
＇18＇ Mary Hamilton： Incubation； or the Cure of Disease in Pagan
Temples and Christian Churches； London； 1906。
＇19＇ Freud： The Interpretation of Dreams； translation of third edition
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by A。 A。 Brill； 1913。
＇20＇ Aristotle： Parva Naturalia； De divinatione per somnium； Ch。 I；
Oxford ed。； Vol。 III； 463 a。
HIPPOCRATES AND THE HIPPOCRATIC
WRITINGS
DESERVEDLY the foundation of Greek Medicine is associated with
the name of Hippocrates； a native of the island of Cos； and yet he is a
shadowy personality； about whom we have little accurate first…hand
information。 This is in strong contrast to some of his distinguished
contemporaries and successors； for example； Plato and Aristotle； about
whom we have such full and accurate knowledge。 You will； perhaps； be
surprised to hear that the only contemporary mention of Hippocrates is
made by Plato。 In the 〃Protagoras；〃 the young Hippocrates； son of
Apollodorus has come to Protagoras； 〃that mighty wise man；〃 to learn the
science and knowledge of human life。 Socrates asked him： 〃If 。 。 。 you had
thought of going to Hippocrates of Cos； the Asclepiad； and were about to
give him your money； and some one had said to you； 'You are paying
money to your namesake Hippocrates； O Hippocrates； tell me； what is he
that you give him money？' how would you have answered？〃 〃I should
say；〃 he replied； 〃that I gave money to him as a physician。〃 〃And what will
he make of you？〃 〃A physician；〃 he said。 And in the Phaedrus； in reply to
a question of Socrates whether the nature of the soul could be known
intelligently without knowing the nature of the whole； Phaedrus replies：
〃Hippocrates； the Asclepiad； says that the nature； even of the body； can
only be understood as a whole。〃 （Plato； I； 311； III； 270Jowett； I； 131；
479。）
Several lives of Hippocrates have been written。 The one most
frequently quoted is that of Soranus of Ephesus （not the famous physician
of the time of Trajan）； and the statements which he gives are usually
accepted； viz。； that he was born in the island of Cos in the year 460 B。C。；
that he belonged to an Asklepiad family of distinction； that he travelled
extensively； visiting Thrace； Thessaly； and various other parts of Greece；
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that he returned to Cos； where he became the most renowned physician of
his period； and died about 375 B。C。 Aristotle mentions him but once；
calling him 〃the great Hippocrates。〃 Busts of him are common； one of the
earliest of which； and I am told the best； dating from Roman days and now
in the British Museum； is here represented。
Of the numerous writings attributed to Hippocrates it cannot easily be
determined which are really the work of the Father of Medicine himself。
They were collected at the time of the Alexandrian School； and it became
customary to write commentaries upon them； much of the most important
information we have about them； we derive from Galen。 The earliest
manuscript is the 〃Codex Laurentianus〃 of Florence； dating from the ninth
century； a specimen page of which （thanks to Commendatore Biagi） is
annexed。 Those of you who are interested； and wish to have full references
to the various works attributed to Hippocrates； will find them in 〃Die
Handschriften der antiken Aerzte〃 of the Prussian Academy； edited by
Diels （Berlin； 1905）。 The Prussian Academy has undertaken the editorship
of the 〃Corpus Medicorum Graecorum。〃 There is no complete edition of
them in English。 In 1849 the Deeside physician； Adams； published （for the
Old Sydenham Society） a translation of the most important works； a
valuable edition and easily obtained。 Littre's ten…volume edition OEuvres
completes d'Hippocrate；〃 Paris； 1839…1861； is the most important for
reference。 Those of you who want a brief but very satisfactory account of
the Hippocratic writings； with numerous ex