of the
different articles of food, as is set forth in the chapter of contents.
In the second is explained the whole doctrine of fevers, an account of
certain matters relating to them being premised, such as excrementitious
discharges, critical days, and other appearances, and concluding with
certain symptoms which are the concomitants of fevers. The third book
relates to topical affections, beginning from the crown of the head and
descending down to the nails of the feet, and so on. Briefly, the fourth
book treats of external diseases; the fifth, of wounds and bites from
venomous animals; the sixth book is the most important and is devoted to
surgery, and contains original observations, and the seventh book
contains an account of the properties of medicines." Paulus wrote a
famous book on obstetrics, which is now lost, but it gained for him
among the Arabs the title of "the accoucheur."

The sixth book on surgery, as has justly been observed by Adams,
"contains the most complete system of operative surgery which has come
down to us from ancient times." Many important surgical principles are
enunciated, such, for instance, as local depletion as against general,
and the merit of a free external incision. He first described varicose
aneurism, and performed the operation of bronchotomy as described by
Antyllus. He favoured the lateral operation for removal of stone from
the bladder, and amputated the cancerous breast by crucial incision. He
also had an operation, like that of Antyllus, for the cure of aneurism.
In brief, Paulus performed many of the operations that are practised at
the present day. He travelled in the practice of his calling, and not
only had great fame in the Byzantine Empire and in Arabia in his
lifetime, but exercised great influence for some centuries. His writings
inspired Albucassis, one of the few surgeons and teachers of the Middle
Ages.

After the time of Paulus AEgineta the practice of medicine and surgery
suffered a very rapid decline, and for five centuries no progress was
made. The Middle Ages form a dark and melancholy period in the history
of medicine, and we have to come to comparatively recent times before we
find the skill and knowledge of the Ancients equalled, while it is only
at the present day that they are rapidly being excelled.

FOOTNOTES:

[27] "De re Med.," vi, 33.

[28] C. 28, p. 260, ed. Matth.

[29] C. 24, p. 242.

[30] Lib. 1, c. 20.

[31] Gibbon, "The Decline an