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HISTOEY OF DENTAL SUEGEEY 5
of celestial origin and reciuired divine interference for its relief. Religion
and medicine were practiced together; througli the instrumentality of priest-
physicians sacrifices or votive offerings of value served to enrich the temples
and to appease the anger of the gods. Charms, talismans and amulets were
prescribed to cure or to prevent disease. Medicine was practiced but little.
The surgical treatment of wounds consisted largely in bathing in warm
water, in sucking out the blood, and in dressings of various herbs. The
verdigris of metal weapons was used to stop the flow of blood. Achilles cured
the wound of Telephus with the rust of his lance. This styptic has still
a place in our materia medica. Groat power in healing wounds was ascribed
to charms and incantations.
"With bandage firm, ITlysses" knee they bound.
Then chanting mystic lays, the closing wound
Of sacred melody confessed the force
The tides of life regained their azure course."
Fumigation with sulphur was practiced after the sacrifire of animals.
"With fire and sulphur, cure of noxious fumes, V
He purged the walls of blood polluted rooms."
A later generation of the Aesclepiadae, whicii was established at Cos, was
He was from in-
represented by Hipjwcrates, who flourishgd_about 460 B. C .
fancy made aware of all that was known in his own country regarding the
practice of medicine, and studied further under Heraclitus, who was a student
of Pythagoras and liad tiavcled nuieh, and who was so sorrowfullv impressed
with tlie weaknesses of his fellownicn that the nickname "the weeping pliilos-
opher" was given to him. His meditations and researches were recorded in
liis book "On Natuiv."
This enabled Hippocrates to supplement his own knowledge and observa-
tions with whatever he found of value in Egyptian methods. He tlms became
not only the world's great ])hysician, but he was al^o the first analytical student
of medical science. He made it his practice, wherever he resided, to visit
the cemeteries and search for anatomical knowledge. His descriptions of
the bones and of the teeth were the most advanced at, the time. He was the
;
first to know and describe the period of the eruption of the teeth as well as
qfjheir functions. He also described some of tlie diseases affecting them and
tlieir treatment, both liy operation and medicine or dentifrices. He applied
the actual cautery, and the plan of fastening loosened teeth with gold wire
was first mentioned in his writings, although this practice undoubtedly ante-
HISTOEY OF DENTAL SUEGEEY 5
of celestial origin and reciuired divine interference for its relief. Religion
and medicine were practiced together; througli the instrumentality of priest-
physicians sacrifices or votive offerings of value served to enrich the temples
and to appease the anger of the gods. Charms, talismans and amulets were
prescribed to cure or to prevent disease. Medicine was practiced but little.
The surgical treatment of wounds consisted largely in bathing in warm
water, in sucking out the blood, and in dressings of various herbs. The
verdigris of metal weapons was used to stop the flow of blood. Achilles cured
the wound of Telephus with the rust of his lance. This styptic has still
a place in our materia medica. Groat power in healing wounds was ascribed
to charms and incantations.
"With bandage firm, ITlysses" knee they bound.
Then chanting mystic lays, the closing wound
Of sacred melody confessed the force
The tides of life regained their azure course."
Fumigation with sulphur was practiced after the sacrifire of animals.
"With fire and sulphur, cure of noxious fumes, V
He purged the walls of blood polluted rooms."
A later generation of the Aesclepiadae, whicii was established at Cos, was
He was from in-
represented by Hipjwcrates, who flourishgd_about 460 B. C .
fancy made aware of all that was known in his own country regarding the
practice of medicine, and studied further under Heraclitus, who was a student
of Pythagoras and liad tiavcled nuieh, and who was so sorrowfullv impressed
with tlie weaknesses of his fellownicn that the nickname "the weeping pliilos-
opher" was given to him. His meditations and researches were recorded in
liis book "On Natuiv."
This enabled Hippocrates to supplement his own knowledge and observa-
tions with whatever he found of value in Egyptian methods. He tlms became
not only the world's great ])hysician, but he was al^o the first analytical student
of medical science. He made it his practice, wherever he resided, to visit
the cemeteries and search for anatomical knowledge. His descriptions of
the bones and of the teeth were the most advanced at, the time. He was the
;
first to know and describe the period of the eruption of the teeth as well as
qfjheir functions. He also described some of tlie diseases affecting them and
tlieir treatment, both liy operation and medicine or dentifrices. He applied
the actual cautery, and the plan of fastening loosened teeth with gold wire
was first mentioned in his writings, although this practice undoubtedly ante-
