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tables and strict regulations as to practice were made； and it is specifically
stated that the masters were to teach in the schools； theoretically and
practically； under the authority of Hippocrates and Galen。 The literature
from the school had a far…reaching influence。 One book on the anatomy of
the pig illustrates the popular subject for dissection at that time。＇6＇ The
writings； which are numerous； have been collected by De Renzi。＇7＇
＇6＇ 〃And dissections of the bodies of swine As likest the human form
divine。〃Golden Legend。
＇7＇ S。 de Renzi： Collectio Salernitana； 5 vols。； Naples； 1852…1859； P。
Giacosa： Magistri Salernitani； Turin； 1901。
The 〃Antidotarium〃 of Nicolaus Salernitanus； about 1100； became
the popular pharmacopoeia of the Middle Ages； and many modern
preparations may be traced to it。
The most prominent man of the school is Constantinus Africanus； a
native of Carthage； who； after numerous journeys； reached Salernum about
the middle of the eleventh century。 He was familiar with the works both of
the Greeks and of the Arabs； and it was largely through his translations
that the works of Rhazes and Avicenna became known in the West。
One work above all others spread the fame of the schoolthe Regimen
Sanitatis； or Flos Medicinae as it is sometimes called； a poem on popular
medicine。 It is dedicated to Robert of Normandy； who had been treated at
Salernum； and the lines begin： 〃Anglorum regi scripsit schola tota
Salerni 。 。 。 〃 It is a hand…book of diet and household medicine； with many
shrewd and taking sayings which have passed into popular use； such as
〃Joy； temperance and repose Slam the door on the doctor's nose。〃 A full
account of the work and the various editions of it is given by Sir
Alexander Croke；＇8＇ and the Finlayson lecture （Glasgow Medical Journal；
1908） by Dr。 Norman Moore gives an account of its introduction into the
British Isles。
＇8＇ Regimen Sanitutis Salernitanum； a Poem on the Preservation of
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THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
Health in Rhyming Latin Verse； Oxford； D。A。 Talboys； 1830。
BYZANTINE MEDICINE
THE second great stream which carried Greek medicine to modern
days runs through the Eastern Empire。 Between the third century and the
fall of Constantinople there was a continuous series of Byzantine
physicians whose inspiration was largely derived from the old Greek
sources。 The most distinguished of these was Oribasius； a voluminous
compiler； a native of Pergamon and so close a follower of his great
townsman that he has been called 〃Galen's ape。〃 He left many works； an
edition of which was edited by Bussemaker and Daremberg。 Many facts
relating to the older writers are recorded in his writings。 He was a
contemporary； friend as well as the physician； of the Emperor Julian； for
whom he prepared an encyclopaedia of the medical sciences。
Other important Byzantine writers were Aetius and Alexander of
Tralles； both of whom were strongly under the influence of Galen and
Hippocrates。 Their materia medica was based largely upon Dioscorides。
From Byzantium we have the earliest known complete medical
manuscript； dating from the fifth centurya work of Dioscoridesone of
the most beautiful in existence。 It was prepared for Anicia Juliana；
daughter of the Emperor of the East； and is now one of the great treasures
of the Imperial Library at Vienna。＇9＇ From those early centuries till the fall
of Constantinople there is very little of interest medically。 A few names
stand out prominently； but it is mainly a blank period in our records。
Perhaps one man may be mentioned； as he had a great influence on later
agesActuarius； who lived about 1300； and whose book on the urine laid
the foundation of much of the popular uroscopy and water…casting that had
such a vogue in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries。 His work on the
subject passed through a dozen Latin editions； but is best studied in
Ideler's 〃Physici et medici Graeci minores〃 （Berlin； 1841）。
＇9＇ It has been reproduced by Seatone de Vries； Leyden； 1905； Codices
graeci et latini photographice depicti； Vol。 X。
The Byzantine stream of Greek medicine had dwindled to a very tiny
rill when the fall of Constantinople （1453） dispersed to the West many
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THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
Greek scholars and many precious manuscripts。
ARABIAN MEDICINE
THE third and by far the strongest branch of the Greek river reached
the West after a remarkable and meandering course。 The map before you
shows the distribution of the Graeco…Roman Christian world at the
beginning of the seventh century。 You will notice that Christianity had
extended far eastwards； almost to China。 Most of those eastern Christians
were Nestorians and one of their important centres was Edessa； whose
school of learning became so celebrated。 Here in the fifth century was
built one of the most celebrated hospitals of antiquity。
Now look at another map showing the same countries about a century
later。 No such phenomenal change ever was made within so short space of
time as that which thus altered the map of Asia and Europe at this period。
Within a century； the Crescent had swept from Arabia through the Eastern
Empire； over Egypt； North Africa and over Spain in the West； and the fate
of Western Europe hung in the balance before the gates of Tours in 732。
This time the barbaric horde that laid waste a large part of Christendom
were a people that became deeply appreciative of all that was best in
Graeco…Roman civilization and of nothing more than of its sciences。 The
cultivation of medicine was encouraged by the Arabs in a very special way。
Anyone wishing to follow the history of the medical profession among
this remarkable people will find it admirably presented in Lucien Leclerc's
〃Histoire de la medecine arabe〃 （Paris； 1876）。 An excellent account is also
given in Freind's well…known 〃History of Medicine〃 （London； 1725…1726）。
Here I can only indicate very