e same century a new
epoch was ushered in by Galen, under whom the same truth was developed
yet further, and the path toward merciful treatment of the insane made
yet more clear. In the third century Celius Aurelianus received this
deposit of precious truth, elaborated it, and brought forth the great
idea which, had theology, citing biblical texts, not banished it, would
have saved fifteen centuries of cruelty--an idea not fully recognised
again till near the beginning of the present century--the idea that
insanity is brain disease, and that the treatment of it must be gentle
and kind. In the sixth century Alexander of Tralles presented still more
fruitful researches, and taught the world how to deal with melancholia;
and, finally, in the seventh century, this great line of scientific men,
working mainly under pagan auspices, was closed by Paul of Aegina, who
under the protection of Caliph Omar made still further observations,
but, above all, laid stress on the cure of madness as a disease, and on
the absolute necessity of mild treatment.

(342) It is significant of this scientific attitude that the Greek word
for superstition means, literally, fear of gods or demons.

Such was this great succession in the apostolate of science: evidently
no other has ever shown itself more directly under Divine grace,
illumination, and guidance. It had given to the world what might have
been one of its greatest blessings.(343)

(343) For authorities regarding this development of scientific truth
and mercy in antiquity, see especially Krafft-Ebing, Lehrbuch des
Psychiatrie, Stuttgart, 1888, p. 40 and the pages following; Trelat,
Recherches Historiques sur la Folie, Paris, 1839; Semelaigne,
L'Alienation mentale dans l'Antiquitie, Paris, 1869; Dagron, Des
Alienes, Paris, 1875; also Calmeil, De la Folie, Sprenger, and
especially Isensee, Geschichte der Medicin, Berlin, 1840.

This evolution of divine truth was interrupted by theology. There set
into the early Church a current of belief which was destined to bring
all these noble acquisitions of science and religion to naught, and,
during centuries, to inflict tortures, physical and mental, upon
hundreds of thousands of innocent men and women--a belief which held
its cruel sway for nearly eighteen centuries; and this belief was that
madness was mainly or largely possession by the devil.

This idea of diabolic agency in mental disease had grown luxuriantly
in all the O