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
Being unable to bear any longer the frequent anger and harsh
treatment of his father, Calliphon, Democedes left Crotona,
and settled in practice at Aegina, on the Saronic Gulf, not
far from Athens. Almost from the very start he attained marked
success, and already in the second year of his residence in
Aegina he was made the recipient of a pension of one talent
(equal to about £240, or $1200,) out of the public treasury.
During the following year he was induced, by the offer of a
larger pension (100 minae, or about $3000,) to settle in Athens;
and, a year later, he accepted a still larger remuneration from
Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos. Having accompanied the latter
on a trip to Sardis, the capital of Lydia, in Asia Minor, he
fell a prisoner into the hands of the governor of that city,
and was made by him a slave. Not long afterward Darius gained
possession of this governor’s or satrap’s property, including
all his slaves; and thus, despite all his efforts to conceal
his profession through fear that a knowledge of it on the part
of the king might prolong his bondage indefinitely, Democedes
was unable to do so. The discovery came about in the following
manner. During a hunting trip Darius broke his ankle. He called
to his assistance the court physicians, who were esteemed the
most skilful that could be found in all Egypt, but they failed
to give him relief. By the violence of their manipulations
they rather made matters worse. For seven days and nights his
sufferings were so great that he was unable to obtain any sleep.
Finally, on the eighth day, one of the court attendants having
told Darius that there was a Greek physician among the slaves,
Democedes was sent for, and he appeared before the king clad in
rags and with chains on his ankles. When asked whether he knew
anything about medicine he denied such knowledge, being fearful
that the discovery of the truth about himself would stand in
the way of his ever getting back to Greece. Darius, perceiving
that he was dissimulating, ordered the attendants to fetch the
whips and pinchers. Whereupon Democedes made up his mind that
he had better confess the truth. He accordingly told the king
that, while not possessing a thorough knowledge of the healing
art, long association with a physician had familiarized him
more or less with the subject. The king then asked him to take
charge of the case. Democedes, following the treatment adopted
by the Greek physicians in similar conditions, applied soothing
remedies and soon succeeded in procuring sleep for the suffering
king. Eventually he obtained a complete cure, and Darius, who
had made up his mind that he would never again be able to use
his limb, was naturally delighted with the result. He loaded
Democedes with gifts, and, being charmed with his conversation,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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