Page:The growth of medicine from the earliest times to about 1800.djvu/114

 advanced age. Soranus of Ephesus, the celebrated obstetrician, reported that in his time (second century A. D.) the tomb of Hippocrates was still standing, and that it had been taken possession of by a swarm of bees whose honey was far-famed for its efficacy in curing ulcers of the mouth in children.

Among the pupils of Hippocrates were his two sons, Draco and Thessalus, and his son-in-law, Polybus. Thessalus, in the capacity of a military surgeon, accompanied Alcibiades on his expedition to Sicily, and later in his career he served as private physician to Archelaus, King of Macedonia. It is also believed that a number of the writings in the Hippocratic collection are from his pen. On the other hand, it is a well-established fact that Polybus is the author of a few of these treatises. When Hippocrates gave up the work of teaching, his son-in-law, who was at that time engaged in private practice in Cos, was chosen his successor in the school.

Among the many anecdotes which are related of Hippocrates, there is one which may with propriety be repeated here:—

On the occasion of a visit to Abdera, in the northern part of Thrace, Hippocrates was requested to examine into the mental condition of the philosopher Democritus, who was thought by his narrow-minded countrymen to be insane. Hippocrates found him deeply engrossed in the study of natural philosophy and asked him what he was doing. Democritus replied that he was investigating the foolishness of men. Whereupon Hippocrates reported that he considered Democritus the wisest of men. (Pagel.)

No better evidence of the true greatness of a man can be furnished than that which is afforded by the praise of his contemporaries in the same rank or walk of life; and when the appreciation comes from such men as Plato and Aristotle, it constitutes an absolute guarantee that it is well and honestly earned. To Hippocrates belongs the singular honor of having won unstinted praise from both of these great philosophers, Aristotle giving him the title of "Hippocrates the Great," and Plato comparing him