A chronology of medical history / by James Young.

  • Young, James.
Date:
[1908?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A chronology of medical history / by James Young. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    22/122 (page 8)
    Their principle temples were those at Epidaurus, Cnidus, and Cos, where for centuries they were the chief centres of the gradual development of the healing art. Machaon and Pofjdarius, sons of Esculapius, were the physicians of the Greeks in the expedition to Troy. It was Machaon to whom Homer referred when he wrote: “ A wise physician skilled our wounds to heal Is more than armies to the public weal.” Poh4arius recognised the madness of Ajax by his burning eyes, and for the first time we read of the practice of venesection, for we are told that bleed- ing was practised by Polie^rius upon qfo'f'tAtpiv the daughter of the King of Caria. B.C. 580-504 Pythagoras, the Greek philoso- pher and founder of a philosophic system indoctrinating purity of lifeand thought. He established also amongst his disciples a strict system of dietetics. B.C. 550 Alcmaeon of Argos, a Greek philoso- pher, said to have been the first Greek Anatomist, and to have dissected the eyes and ears of animals, and to have discovered the optic nerve andeustachian canal. B.C. 520 Democedes. Herodotus relates that (circa) having migrated from Croton to Aegina, Democedes so excelled his colleagues that he was chosen public medical officer at a salary of one talent (£240) per