The growth of medicine from the earliest times to about 1800Buck, Albert H. (Albert Henry)
History
The growth of medicine from the earliest times to about 1800
Buck, Albert H. (Albert Henry)
Medicine -- History
There were two principal types of Asclepieia--one, like that of
Epidaurus, in Argolis, which occupied an inland situation, that had
clearly been chosen from religious motives alone, viz., because it was
believed, in accordance with an ancient tradition, that at this spot
Aesculapius had been born--and a second, like that of Cos, on the
island of the same name in the Aegean Sea, which situation without
doubt had been chosen chiefly because the locality was exceptionally
healthful. Of the first of these two types of temples, the sites of
both of which have been most carefully studied, very little need
be said in this brief sketch. The purely medical aspects of this
Asclepieion, to which at the height of its celebrity crowds flocked
from all parts of Greece, are of minor interest. The temple and its
accessory buildings, which appear to have been very extensive, were
located in a narrow valley, not far distant from the seaside village
which still to-day bears the name of Epidaurus. Then, also, the
locality is deficient in one important respect--it has an insufficient
supply of good drinking water; and, finally, it is only slightly
elevated above the sea-level. Dr. Meyer-Steineg remarks that the
patients who visited this temple must have owed whatever benefit they
derived from the visit to other influences than those of a purely
medical or hygienic character. Doubtless suggestion played an important
part in any relief which they may have obtained, and the so-called
temple-sleep was also doubtless a very effective factor in this
direction. The Asclepieion at Cos, on the other hand, occupied a most
healthful position on the northern slope of the ridge of mountains
which extends throughout the entire length of the island and attains a
maximum height of about 3000 feet. (See Fig. 1.)
It now remains for me to describe, as best I may within the limited
space which is at my command, the results of the excavations and
surveys that have been made in recent years on the Island of Cos.
Professor Meyer-Steineg’s article on this subject[16] is the source
from which I have derived the information contained in the following
account.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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