The Evolution of Modern Medicine [22]
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 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 he--so 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]
[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
[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 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 he--so 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]
[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