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THE true and lawful goal of the sciences is none other than this： that
human life be endowed with new discoveries and powers。 （Francis Bacon；
Novum Organum； Aphorisms； LXXXI； Spedding's translation。）
A GOLDEN thread has run throughout the history of the world；
consecutive and continuous； the work of the best men in successive ages。
From point to point it still runs； and when near you feel it as the clear and
bright and searchingly irresistible light which Truth throws forth when
great minds conceive it。 （Walter Moxon； Pilocereus Senilis and Other
Papers； 1887； p。 4。）
FOR the mind depends so much on the temperament and disposition
of the bodily organs that； if it is possible to find a means of rendering men
wiser and cleverer than they have hitherto been； I believe that it is in
medicine that it must be sought。 It is true that the medicine which is now
in vogue contains little of which the utility is remarkable； but； without
having any intention of decrying it； I am sure that there is no one； even
among those who make its study a profession； who does not confess that
all that men know is almost nothing in comparison with what remains to
be known； and that we could be free of an infinitude of maladies both of
body and mind； and even also possibly of the infirmities of age； if we had
sufficient knowledge of their causes； and of all the remedies with which
nature has provided us。 （Descartes： Discourse on the Method；
Philosophical Works。 Translated by E。 S。 Haldane and G。 R。 T。 Ross。 Vol。 I；
Cam。 Univ。 Press； 1911； p。 120。）
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
SAIL to the Pacific with some Ancient Mariner； and traverse day by
day that silent sea until you reach a region never before furrowed by keel
where a tiny island； a mere speck on the vast ocean； has just risen from the
depths； a little coral reef capped with green； an atoll； a mimic earth；
fringed with life； built up through countless ages by life on the remains of
life that has passed away。 And now； with wings of fancy； join Ianthe in the
magic car of Shelley； pass the eternal gates of the flaming ramparts of the
world and see his vision：
Below lay stretched the boundless Universe！ There； far as the
remotest line That limits swift imagination's flight； Unending orbs mingled
in mazy motion； Immutably fulfilling Eternal Nature's law。 Above； below；
around； The circling systems formed A wilderness of harmony。 （Daemon
of the World； Pt。 I。）
And somewhere； 〃as fast and far the chariot flew；〃 amid the mighty
globes would be seen a tiny speck； 〃earth's distant orb；〃 one of 〃the
smallest lights that twinkle in the heavens。〃 Alighting； Ianthe would find
something she had probably not seen elsewhere in her magic flightlife；
everywhere encircling the sphere。 And as the little coral reef out of a vast
depth had been built up by generations of polyzoa； so she would see that
on the earth； through illimitable ages； successive generations of animals
and plants had left in stone their imperishable records： and at the top of the
series she would meet the thinking； breathing creature known as man。
Infinitely little as is the architect of the atoll in proportion to the earth on
which it rests； the polyzoon； I doubt not； is much larger relatively than is
man in proportion to the vast systems of the Universe； in which he
represents an ultra…microscopic atom less ten thousand times than the
tiniest of the 〃gay motes that people the sunbeams。〃 Yet； with colossal
audacity； this thinking atom regards himself as the anthropocentric pivot
around which revolve the eternal purposes of the Universe。 Knowing not
whence he came； why he is here； or whither he is going； man feels himself
of supreme importance； and certainly is of interestto himself。 Let us hope
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THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
that he has indeed a potency and importance out of all proportion to his
somatic insignificance。 We know of toxins of such strength that an amount
too infinitesimal to be gauged may kill； and we know that 〃the unit
adopted in certain scientific work is the amount of emanation produced by
one million…millionth of a grain of radium； a quantity which itself has a
volume of less than a million…millionth of a cubic millimetre and weighs a
million million times less than an exceptionally delicate chemical balance
will turn to〃 （Soddy； 1912）。 May not man be the radium of the Universe？
At any rate let us not worry about his size。 For us he is a very potent
creature； full of interest； whose mundane story we are only beginning to
unravel。
Civilization is but a filmy fringe on the history of man。 Go back as far
as his records carry us and the story written on stone is of yesterday in
comparison with the vast epochs of time which modern studies demand
for his life on the earth。 For two millions （some hold even three millions）
of years man lived and moved and had his being in a world very different
from that upon which we look out。 There appear； indeed； to have been
various types of man； some as different from us as we are from the
anthropoid apes。 What upstarts of yesterday are the Pharaohs in
comparison with the men who survived the tragedy of the glacial period！
The ancient history of manonly now beginning to be studied dates from
the Pliocene or Miocene period； the modern history； as we know it；
embraces that brief space of time that has elapsed since the earliest
Egyptian and Babylonian records were made。 This has to be borne in mind
in connection with the present mental status of man； particularly in his
outlook upon nature。 In his thoughts and in his attributes； mankind at large
is controlled by inherited beliefs and impulses； which countless thousands
of years have ingrained like instinct。 Over vast regions of the earth today；
magic； amulets； charms； incantations are the chief weapons of defense
against a malignant nature； and in disease； the practice of Asa＇*＇ is
comparatively novel and unusual； in days of illness many millions more
still seek their gods rather than the physicians。 In an upward path man has
had to work out for himself a relationship with his fellows and with nature。
He sought in the supernatural an explanation of the pressing phenomena of
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life； peopling the world with spiritual beings； deifying objects of nature；
and assigning to them benign or malign influences； which might be
invoked or propitiated。 Primitive priest； physician and philosopher were
one； and struggled； on the one hand； for the recognition of certain
practices forced on him by experience； and on the other； for the
recognition of mystical agencies which control the dark； 〃uncharted
region〃 about himto use Prof。 Gilbert Murray's phrase and w