invented the probe and the
bandaging of wounds. His priests, the AEsclepiades, however, practised
incantations, and cured diseases by leading their patients to believe
that the god himself delivered his prescriptions in dreams and
visions; for this imposture they were roughly satirized by
Aristophanes in his play of "Plutus." It is probable that the
preparations, consisting of abstinence, tranquillity, and bathing,
requisite for obtaining the divine intercourse, and, above all, the
confidence reposed in the AEsclepiades, were often productive of
benefit.

The excavations of Cavvadias at Epidaurus have furnished us with much
interesting material concerning the cures performed at this ancient
shrine, five hundred years before the beginning of the Christian era.
If the modern physician still recognizes AEsculapius as his patron
saint, he must have great respect for mental healing. It appears
certain from inscriptions found upon "stelae" that were dug up at
Epidaurus and published in 1891, that the system of AEsculapius was
based upon the miracle-working of a demi-god, and not upon medical art
as we now know it. The _modus operandi_ was unique in some details.
The patients, mostly incurables, came laden with sacrifices. After
prayer, they cleansed themselves with water from the holy well, and
offered up sacrifices. Certain ceremonial acts were then performed by
the priests, and the patients were put to sleep on the skins of the
animals offered at the altar, or at the foot of the statue of the
divinity, while the priests performed further sacred rites. The son of
Apollo then appeared to them in dreams, attended to the particular
ailments of the sufferers, and specified further sacrifices or acts
which would restore health. In many cases the sick awoke suddenly
cured. Large sums of money were asked for these cures; from one
inscription we learn that a sum corresponding to $12,000 was paid as a
fee. The record of the cure was carved on the temple as at Lourdes
to-day, _e.g._:

"Some days back, a certain Caius, who was blind, learned from an
oracle that he should repair to the temple, put up his fervent
prayers, cross the sanctuary from right to left, place his five
fingers on the altar, then raise his hand and cover his eyes. He
obeyed, and instantly his sight was restored, amid the loud
acclamations of the multitude. These signs of the omnipotence of the
gods were shown in the reign of Antoninus."

"A blind soldier, name