Page:The growth of medicine from the earliest times to about 1800.djvu/280

 era, after the Latin translations and compilations made by Constantinus the African had taught the physicians who were then at the head of affairs something about the medicine of the Arabs, and had, at the same time, through the latter medium, brought to their attention afresh the teachings and practice of the ancient Greeks. Among the works of the latter character—works which in their Latin dress proved most valuable to the Salerno physicians—are the following: "The Aphorisms of Hippocrates"; "Galen's Ars Parva" (Mikrotechne); and the same author's "Commentaries on the Hippocratic Writings."

John Afflacius, a monk who lived during the latter half of the eleventh century of the present era, was one of the pupils of Constantinus. His treatise "On Fevers," according to Neuburger, contains ample evidence of the author's ability as a clinical observer.

Something still remains to be said concerning Bartholomaeus, Cophon the Younger, John Platearius the Younger and Archimathaeus. They have already been mentioned in the list of authors whose writings contributed materially to the celebrity of the Medical School of Salerno, and it is now only necessary to furnish a few particulars with regard to their lives and the nature of the work which they accomplished.

Bartholomaeus wrote a treatise (entitled "Practica") on the practice of medicine as taught by Hippocrates, Galen, Constantinus and the Greek physicians. Its enduring popularity is evidenced by the facts that it was translated at an early period into several languages and that portions of its text are often quoted by later authors. The book contains ample evidence that its author was a very