admission to these
hospitals was not limited to Christians, is the best possible evidence
of the liberal charity that inspired them.

The ordinary passing student of the history of medicine or of hospital
foundation and organization, can have no idea of the magnitude of some
of these institutions, and their importance in the life of the time,
unless it is especially pointed out. St. Basil, about the middle of the
fourth century, erected what was spoken of as "a city for the sick,"
before the gates of Caesarea. Gregory of Nazianzen, his friend, says
"that well built and furnished houses stood on both sides of streets
symmetrically laid out about the church, and contained rooms for the
sick, and the infirm of every variety were intrusted to the care of
doctors and nurses." There were separate buildings for strangers, for
the poor, and for the ailing, and comfortable dwellings for the
physicians and nurses. An important portion of the institution was set
apart for the care of lepers, which constituted a prominent feature in
Basil's work in which he himself took a special interest. Earlier in the
same century Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine, had built
similar institutions around Jerusalem, and during this same century
nearly everywhere we have evidence of organization of hospitals and of
care for the ailing poor.

Not only were hospitals erected, but arrangements were made for the care
of the ailing poor in their own homes and for the visitation of them,
and for the bringing to places adapted for their care and treatment of
such as were found on the street, or neglected in their homes. The
Church evidently considered itself bound to care for men's bodies as
well as their souls, and many of the expressions in common use among
Christians referred to this fact. Religion itself was spoken of as a
medicine of the soul and the body. Christianity was defined as the
religion of healing. The word salvation had a reference to both body and
soul. Baptism was spoken of as the bath of the soul, the holy Eucharist
as the elixir of immortal life, and penance as the medicine of the soul.
It is not surprising to find, then, that Harnack has found among the
texts that illustrate the history of early Christian literature this
one: "In every community there shall be at least one widow appointed to
assist women who are stricken with illness, and this widow shall be
trained in her duties, neat and careful in her ways, shall not be