of the most untoward circumstances, but also
tried to do whatever they could for its development, and actually did
much more than is usually thought, that this story of "Old-Time Makers
of Medicine" is written. It represents a period--that of the Middle
Ages--that is, or was until recently, probably more misunderstood than
any other in human history. The purpose of the book is to show at least
the important headlands that lie along the stream of medical thought
during the somewhat more than a thousand years from the fall of the
Roman Empire under Augustulus (476) until the discovery of America.
After that comes modern medicine, for with the sixteenth century the
names and achievements of the workers in medicine are
familiar--Paracelsus, Vesalius, Columbus, Servetus, Caesalpinus,
Eustachius, Varolius, Sylvius are men whose names are attached to great
discoveries with which even those who are without any pretence to
knowledge of medical history are not unacquainted. In spite of nearly
four centuries of distance in time these men seem very close to us.
Their lives will be reserved for a subsequent volume, "Our Forefathers
in Medicine."

It is usually the custom to contemn the Middle Ages for their lack of
interest in culture, in education, in literature, in a word, in
intellectual accomplishment of any and every kind, but especially in
science. There is no doubt about the occurrence of marked decadence in
the intellectual life of the first half of this period. This has
sometimes been attributed to what has been called the inhibitory effect
of Christianity on worldly interests. Religion is said to have occupied
people so much with thoughts of the other world that the beauties and
wonders, as well as much of the significance, of the world around them
were missed. Those who talk thus, however, forget entirely the
circumstances which brought about the serious decadence of interest in
culture and science at this time. The Roman Empire had been the guardian
of letters and education and science. While the Romans were not original
in themselves, at least they had shown intense interest in what was
accomplished by the Greeks and their imitation had often risen to
heights that made them worthy of consideration for themselves. They were
liberal patrons of Greek art and of Greek literature, and did not
neglect Greek science and Greek medicine. Galen's influence was due much
more to the prominence secured by him as the result of his st