eek physicians who were
attempting to lay a scientific foundation, we have the Christian idea
prevailing that the water in which a single hair of a saint had been
dipped was to be used as a purgative; water in which St. Remy's ring had
been dipped cured lunacy; oil of a lamp burning before the tomb of St.
Gall cured tumors; wine in which the bones of a saint had been dipped
cured fevers; St. Valentine cured epilepsy; St. Christopher cured throat
disease; St. Eutropius, dropsy; St. Ovid, deafness; St. Vitus, St.
Anthony, and a multitude of other saints, the maladies which bear their
names.

"In the year 1585, in the town of Embrun, France, the male generative
organ of St. Foutin was greatly revered. A jar was placed beneath his
emblem to catch the wine with which it was generally anointed; the wine
was left to sour, and then it was known as the 'Holy Vinegar.' The women
drank it in order to be blessed with children." (_Joseph Lewis,
"Voltaire."_)

Enormous revenues flowed into various monasteries and churches in all
parts of Europe from relics noted for their healing powers. The
ecclesiastics perceived that the physician would interfere with these
revenues and gifts of the shrines, and deemed it the will of God to
persecute and condemn physicians. St. Ambrose declared, "The precepts of
medicine are contrary to celestial science, watching and prayer." St.
Augustine declared, "All diseases of Christians are to be ascribed to
these demons, chiefly do they torment fresh baptized Christians, yea,
even the guiltless, new-born babe." Gregory of Nazianzus declared that
bodily pains are provoked by demons, and that medicines are useless, but
that they are often cured by the laying on of consecrated hands. St.
Niles and St. Gregory of Tours gave examples to show the sinfulness of
resorting to medicine instead of trusting to the intercession of saints.

Even as late as 1517, Pope Leo X, for a consideration, issued tickets
bearing a cross and the following inscription, "This cross measured
forty times makes the height of Christ in His humanity. He who kisses it
is preserved for seven days from falling sickness, apoplexy, and sudden
death."

The Council of Le Mons, in 1248, forbade monks to engage in surgery. At
the beginning of the twelfth century, the Council of Rheims forbade
monks to study medicine; and shortly after the middle of the twelfth
century, Pope Alexander III forbade monks to study or practice medicine.
In the thi