the evolution of modern medicine(现代医药的演变)-第30节
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opposite。 The most popular medicines were derived from the vegetable
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kingdom； and as they were chiefly those recommended by Galen； they
were； and still are； called by his name。 Many important mineral medicines
were introduced by the Arabians； particularly mercury； antimony； iron； etc。
There were in addition scores of substances； the parts or products of
animals； some harmless； others salutary； others again useless and
disgusting。 Minor surgery was in the hands of the barbers； who performed
all the minor operations； such as bleeding； the more important operations；
few in number； were performed by surgeons。
ASTROLOGY AND DIVINATION
AT this period astrology； which included astronomy； was everywhere
taught。 In the 〃Gouernaunce of Prynces； or Pryvete of Pryveties；〃
translated by James Yonge； 1422；＇26＇ there occurs the statement： 〃As
Galian the lull wies leche Saith and Isoder the Gode clerk； hit witnessith
that a man may not perfitely can the sciens and craft of Medissin but yef
he be an astronomoure。〃
＇26＇ Early English Text Society； Extra Series； No。 LXXIV； p。 195；
1898； Secreta Secretorum； Rawl。 MS。 B。； 490。
We have seen how the practice of astrology spread from Babylonia
and Greece throughout the Roman Empire。 It was carried on into the
Middle Ages as an active and aggressive cult； looked upon askance at
times by the Church； but countenanced by the courts； encouraged at the
universities； and always by the public。 In the curriculum of the mediaeval
university； astronomy made up with music； arithmetic and geometry the
Quadrivium。 In the early faculties； astronomy and astrology were not
separate； and at Bologna； in the early fourteenth century； we meet with a
professorship of astrology。＇27＇ One of the duties of this salaried professor；
was to supply 〃judgements〃 gratis for the benefit of enquiring students； a
treacherous and delicate assignment； as that most distinguished occupant
of the chair at Bologna； Cecco d'Ascoli； found when he was burned at the
stake in 1357； a victim of the Florentine Inquisition。＇28＇
＇27＇ Rashdall： Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages； Vol。 I； p。
240。
＇28＇ Rashdall； l。c。； Vol。 I； p。 244。Rashdall also mentions that in the
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sixteenth century at Oxford there is an instance of a scholar admitted to
practice astrology。 l。c。； Vol。 II； p。 458。
Roger Bacon himself was a warm believer in judicial astrology and in
the influence of the planets； stars and comets on generation； disease and
death。
Many of the stronger minds of the Renaissance broke away from the
follies of the subject。 Thus Cornelius Agrippa in reply to the request of a
friar to consult the stars on his behalf says：＇29＇ 〃Judicial astrology is
nothing more than the fallacious guess of superstitious men； who have
founded a science on uncertain things and are deceived by it： so think
nearly all the wise； as such it is ridiculed by some most noble philosophers；
Christian theologians reject it； and it is condemned by sacred councils of
the Church。 Yet you； whose office it is to dissuade others from these
vanities； oppressed； or rather blinded by I know not what distress of mind；
flee to this as to a sacred augur； and as if there were no God in Israel； that
you send to inquire of the god of Ekron。〃
＇29＇ H。 Morley： The Life of Henry Cornelius Agrippa； London； 1856；
Vol。 II； p。 138。
In spite of the opposition of the Church astrology held its own； many
of the universities at the end of the fifteenth century published almanacs；
usually known as 〃Prognosticons；〃 and the practice was continued far into
the sixteenth century。 I show you here an illustration。 Rabelais； you may
remember； when physician to the Hotel Dieu in Lyons； published
almanacs for the years 1533； 1535； 1541； 1546。 In the title…page he called
himself 〃Doctor of Medicine and Professor of Astrology；〃 and they
continued to be printed under his name until 1556。 In the preparation of
these he must have had his tongue in his cheek； as in his famous
〃Pantagrueline Prognostication；〃 in which； to satisfy the curiosity of all
good companions； he had turned over all the archives of the heavens；
calculated the quadratures of the moon； hooked out all that has ever been
thought by all the Astrophils； Hypernephilists； Anemophylakes； Uranopets
and Ombrophori； and felt on every point with Empedocles。＇30＇
＇30＇ Pantagrueline Prognostication； Rabelais； W。 F。 Smith's translation；
1893； Vol。 II； p。 460。
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Even physicians of the most distinguished reputation practised
judicial astrology。 Jerome Cardan was not above earning money by casting
horoscopes； and on this subject he wrote one of his most popular books
（De Supplemento Almanach； etc。； 1543）； in which astronomy and
astrology are mixed in the truly mediaeval fashion。 He gives in it some
sixty…seven nativities； remarkable for the events they foretell； with an
exposition。 One of the accusations brought against him was that he had
〃attempted to subject to the stars the Lord of the stars and cast our
Saviour's horoscope。〃＇31＇ Cardan professed to have abandoned a practice
looked upon with disfavor both by the Church and by the universities； but
he returned to it again and again。 I show here his own horoscope。 That
remarkable character； Michael Servetus； the discoverer of the lesser
circulation； when a fellow student with Vesalius at Paris； gave lectures
upon judicial astrology； which brought him into conflict with the faculty；
and the rarest of the Servetus works； rarer even than the 〃Christianismi
Restitutio；〃 is the 〃Apologetica disceptatio pro astrologia；〃 one copy of
which is in the Bibliotheque Nationale。 Nor could the new astronomy and
the acceptance of the heliocentric views dislocate the popular belief。 The
literature of the seventeenth century is rich in astrological treatises dealing
with medicine。
＇31＇ De Thou； Lib。 LXII； quoted by Morley in Life of Jerome Cardan；
Vol。 II； p。 294。
No one has ever poured such satire upon the mantic arts as did
Rabelais in chapter twenty…five of the third book of 〃Pantagruel。〃 Panurge
goes to consult Her Trippathe famous Cornelius Agrippa； whose opinion
of astrology has already been quoted； but who nevertheless； as court
astrologer to Louise of Savoy； had a great contemporary reputation。 After
looking Panurge in the face and making conclusions by metoposcopy and
physiognomy； he casts his horoscope secundum artem； then； taking a
branch of tamarisk； a favorite tree from which to get the divining rod； he
names some twenty…nine or thirty mantic arts； from pyromancy to
necromancy； by which he offers to predict his future。 While full of rare
humor； this chapter throws an interesting light on the extraordinary
number of modes of divination that have been employed。 Small wonder
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that Panurge repented of his visit！ I show here the title…page of a popular
book by one of the most famous of the English astrological physicians；
Nicholas Culpeper。
Never was the opinion of sensible men on this subject better expressed
than by Sir Thomas Browne：＇32＇ 〃Nor do we hereby reject or condemn a
sober and regulated Astrology； we hold there is more truth therein than in
ASTROLOGERS； in some more than many allow； yet in none so much as
some pretend。 We deny not the influence of the Starres； but often suspect
the due application thereof；
