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Galen's views of disease in general are those of Hippocrates； but he
introduces many refinements and subdivisions according to the
predominance of the four humors； the harmonious combination of which
means health； or eucrasia； while their perversion or improper combination
leads to dyscrasia； or ill health。 In treatment he had not the simplicity of
Hippocrates： he had great faith in drugs and collected plants from all parts
of the known world； for the sale of which he is said to have had a shop in
the neighborhood of the Forum。 As I mentioned； he was an eclectic； held
himself aloof from the various schools of the day； calling no man master
save Hippocrates。 He might be called a rational empiricist。 He made war
on the theoretical practitioners of the day； particularly the Methodists； who；
like some of their modern followers； held that their business was with the
disease and not with the conditions out of which it arose。
No other physician has ever occupied the commanding position of
〃Clarissimus〃 Galenus。 For fifteen centuries he dominated medical
thought as powerfully as did Aristotle in the schools。 Not until the
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Renaissance did daring spirits begin to question the infallibility of this
medical pope。 But here we must part with the last and； in many ways； the
greatest of the Greeks a man very much of our own type； who； could he
visit this country today； might teach us many lessons。 He would smile in
scorn at the water supply of many of our cities； thinking of the magnificent
aqueducts of Rome and of many of the colonial townssome still in use
which in lightness of structure and in durability testify to the astonishing
skill of their engineers。 There are country districts in which he would find
imperfect drainage and could tell of the wonderful system by which Rome
was kept sweet and clean。 Nothing would delight him more than a visit to
Panama to see what the organization of knowledge has been able to
accomplish。 Everywhere he could tour the country as a sanitary expert；
preaching the gospel of good water supply and good drainage； two of the
great elements in civilization； in which in many places we have not yet
reached the Roman standard。
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CHAPTER III
MEDIAEVAL MEDICINE
THERE are waste places of the earth which fill one with terror not
simply because they are waste； one has not such feelings in the desert nor
in the vast solitude of the ocean。 Very different is it where the desolation
has overtaken a brilliant and flourishing product of man's head and hand。
To know that
。 。 。 the Lion and the Lizard keep The Courts where Jamshyd gloried
and drank deep
sends a chill to the heart； and one trembles with a sense of human
instability。 With this feeling we enter the Middle Ages。 Following the
glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome； a desolation came
upon the civilized world； in which the light of learning burned low；
flickering almost to extinction。 How came it possible that the gifts of
Athens and of Alexandria were deliberately thrown away？ For three
causes。 The barbarians shattered the Roman Empire to its foundations。
When Alaric entered Rome in 410 A。 D。； ghastly was the impression made
on the contemporaries； the Roman world shuddered in a titanic spasm
（Lindner）。 The land was a garden of Eden before them； behind a howling
wilderness； as is so graphically told in Gibbon's great history。 Many of the
most important centres of learning were destroyed； and for centuries
Minerva and Apollo forsook the haunts of men。 The other equally
important cause was the change wrought by Christianity。 The brotherhood
of man； the care of the body； the gospel of practical virtues formed the
essence of the teaching of the Founderin these the Kingdom of Heaven
was to be sought； in these lay salvation。 But the world was very evil； all
thought that the times were waxing late； and into men's minds entered as
never before a conviction of the importance of the four last thingsdeath；
judgment； heaven and hell。 One obstacle alone stood between man and his
redemption； the vile body； 〃this muddy vesture of decay；〃 that so grossly
wrapped his soul。 To find methods of bringing it into subjection was the
task of the Christian Church for centuries。 In the Vatican Gallery of
Inscriptions is a stone slab with the single word 〃Stercoriae；〃 and below；
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the Christian symbol。 It might serve as a motto for the Middle Ages；
during which； to quote St。 Paul； all things were 〃counted dung but to win
Christ。〃 In this attitude of mind the wisdom of the Greeks was not simply
foolishness； but a stumbling…block in the path。 Knowledge other than that
which made a man 〃wise unto salvation〃 was useless。 All that was
necessary was contained in the Bible or taught by the Church。 This simple
creed brought consolation to thousands and illumined the lives of some of
the noblest of men。 But； 〃in seeking a heavenly home man lost his
bearings upon earth。〃 Let me commend for your reading Taylor's
〃Mediaeval Mind。〃＇1＇ I cannot judge of its scholarship； which I am told by
scholars is ripe and good； but I can judge of its usefulness for anyone who
wishes to know the story of the mind of man in Europe at this period。 Into
the content of mediaeval thought only a mystic can enter with full
sympathy。 It was a needful change in the evolution of the race。 Christianity
brought new ideals and new motives into the lives of men。 The world's
desire was changed； a desire for the Kingdom of Heaven； in the search for
which the lust of the flesh； the lust of the eye and the pride of life were as
dross。 A master…motive swayed the minds of sinful men and a zeal to save
other souls occupied the moments not devoted to the perfection of their
own。 The new dispensation made any other superfluous。 As Tertullian said：
Investigation since the Gospel is no longer necessary。 （Dannemann； Die
Naturw。； I； p。 214。） The attitude of the early Fathers toward the body is
well expressed by Jerome。 〃Does your skin roughen without baths？ Who is
once washed in the blood of Christ needs not wash again。〃 In this
unfavorable medium for its growth； science was simply disregarded； not in
any hostile spirit； but as unnecessary。＇2＇ And a third contributing factor
was the plague of the sixth century； which desolated the whole Roman
world。 On the top of the grand mausoleum of Hadrian； visitors at Rome
see the figure of a gilded angel with a drawn sword； from which the
present name of the Castle of St。 Angelo takes its origin。 On the twenty…
fifth of April； 590； there set out from the Church of SS。 Cosmas and
Damian； already the Roman patron saints of medicine； a vast procession；
led by St。 Gregory the Great； chanting a seven…fold litany of intercession
against the plague。 The legend relates that Gregory saw on the top of
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Hadrian's tomb an angel with a drawn sword； which he sheathed as the
plague abated。
＇1＇ H。 O。 Taylor： The Mediaeval Mind； 2 vols。； Macmillan Co。； New
York； 1911。 ＇New edition； 1920。＇
＇2＇ Ibid。； Vol。 1； p。 13： 〃Under their action ＇the Christian Fathers＇ the
peoples of Western Europe； from the eighth to the thirteenth century；
passed through a homogeneous growth； and evolved a spirit different from
that of any other period of historya spirit which stood in awe before its
monitors divine and human； and deemed that knowledge was to be drawn
from the storehouse of the past； which see