HISTORICAL TABLE OF THE MATERIA MEDICA,
5
A. D.
GREEK MEDICINE — (Continued..')
131—200
Galen (Claudius) a brilliant genius of vast erudition and rare talents. Explained the opera-tion of medicines by reference to their elementary qualities (heat, cold, dryness, and mois-ture), of each of which he admitted four degrees. This doctrine was held in the schoolsuntil the time of Paracelsus.
360
550
560
600?
700)
1034
1100?
1300)
1300?
4. From Galen to the fall of the Greek School.
(Minor Greek Authors.)
AeTius . Employed musk medicinally.
Alexander Trallianus . First mentions rhubarb. Notices hermodactyl. Used mild laxa-tives.
Paulus ASgineta. First notices the purgative properties of rhubarb. Distinguishes betweenRha and Rheon. Describes the effects of hermodactyl.
Seth (Simeon). Notices camphor.
Actuarius (John). Mentions capsicum
Myrepsus (Nicholas).
A. D.
23
13—55
In the early periods of Roman History medicine was practised by slaves and freedmen.
Menecrates. Employed escharotics. Invented Diachylon plaster.
Celsus (A Cornelius). De Medicina . A methodist ? An elegant writer. Lays down hy-gienic rules. Distinguishes foods according to the degree of their nutritive power anddigestibility. His remarks on these subjects, as well as on the use of remedial agents gene-rally, display great judgment. Speaks of the use of nourishing clysters, gestation, baths,frictions, &c. Employed in dropsy frictions with oil.
41
Scribonius Largus . An empiric. His work ( Compositiones Medicce ) is the first pharma-
23 70
copeeia known.
Pliny the Elder (Caius). A natural historian. In his work ( Historia Naturalis ) he hascollected all that was known in his time, of the arts, sciences, natural history, &c. He
230
displays prodigious learning and a vast fund of erudition. In botany and materia medicahe has copied almost verbatim the remarks of Theophrastus and Dioscorides .
CjELIUS Aurelianus. A methodist. The only one of this sect whose works have descendedto us.
B. C.
1191
PERSIAN MEDICINE.
Must be very ancient, but its history scarcely known. Products of Persia (ex. galbanum,asafeetida, sagapanum,&c.) mentioned in the Bible or by Hippocrates : it is to be presumedthat the Persians knew the medical qualities of their indigenous drugs, previous to sellingthem.
400
A. D.
272
Ctesias of Cnidus physician for seventeen years to Artaxerxes Mnemon .
Dschondisabour (Jondisabur or Nisabur ) founded. Greek physicians sent by the EmperorAurelion.
Almanzor , the second Caliph of the house of Abbas, a great encourager of the sciences andmedicine.
A. D.
767
ARABIANS.
Bagdad built. The sciences munificently patronized by the Caliphs . A college formed.
Hospitals and dispensaries established.
Schools of Damascus and Cordova.
622
Died 872Died 880Born 702
Died 846?865)9001742 }
1066 J
The doctrines of Hippocrates and Galen taught. Mild laxatives (as cassia, tamarinds, manna,rhubarb, and senna,) substituted for drastics. Chemical medicines mentioned. Variouspharmaceutical preparations (syrups, juleps, conserves, loochs, robs, and distilled watersand oils) contrived. Dispensatories published.
Aaron or Ahron {The Pandects).
Ebn-Sahel (Sabor) Krabadin, the first dispensatory.
Alkhende (J.). Wrote on the proportion and doses of medicines.
Geber , “The Patriarch of Chemistry.” Mineral acids, alkalies, and many alkaline andmetallic salts, are noticed by him. (See Hindoo Medicine.)
Mesue (John). De simplicibus et deelectuariis.
Serapion (John, jun.). De simplicibus medicinis.
Abn Guefith or Abhen Gnefith. De simplic . medicam. virtut.
852 to 932
curial ointment.