As agriculture promises food to the healthy, so medicine promises health to the sick. There is no place in the world, where this art is not found: for even the most barbarous nations are acquainted with herbs, and other easy remedies for wounds and diseases. However it has been more improved by the Greeks than any other people: though not from the infancy of that nation, but only a few ages before our own times; as appears by their celebrating Æsculapius as its most ancient author; who, be...

Of Medicine In Eight Books is a comprehensive medical treatise attributed to Aulus Cornelius Celsus, a prominent Roman encyclopedist of the early first century AD. This seminal work, originally written in Latin as De Medicina, stands as one of the most significant surviving sources on ancient medical knowledge and practice. Spanning eight detailed books, the text systematically covers a wide array of medical topics, reflecting the accumulated wisdom of Greek and Roman physicians up to Cels...

The works of many early critics of the Christian church were burned by ruling emperors or otherwise destroyed in the second and third centuries, but the writings of the Greek pagan philosopher, Celsus, have survived indirectly through his eloquent opponent Origen of Alexandria. In his apologetical treatise, Contra Celsum, Origen argues against the ideas set forth by Celsus and quotes from Celsus' The True Doctrine at length. Through this treatise, Celsus has come to repre...

Nothing is known about the life of Celsus, including whether his praenomen is Aurelius or Aulus, though historians believe it is the latter. Nobody knows where Celsus lived, although it is believed that he lived in Gaul. What is known about Celus is that he put together a huge encyclopedia during the reign of Augustus or Tiberius. What is known about the life and times of Celsus comes from De Medicina, the lone surviving part of what was apparently a huge encyclopedia put together by Celsu...

Celsus (c. 180 CE): Celsus, in his work The True Word, criticized Christianity as irrational and incoherent. He accused Christians of being superstitious and of rejecting traditional Roman religious and civic values. He also dismissed the idea of Jesus' divinity, arguing that Christian claims lacked historical and philosophical credibility.Porphyry (c. 234305 CE): A prominent philosopher, Porphyry's critique focused on contradictions in Christian scripture and questioned the legitimacy of ...

Aulus Cornelius Celsus was a Roman encyclopedist known for his comprehensive work, "De Medicina," which is one of the earliest medical texts that survived from antiquity. This influential book covers various aspects of medicine, including surgical techniques, pharmacology, and the theory of diseases. Celsus's approach is notable for its systematic organization and clarity, making complex medical concepts accessible. His writings reflect a blend of practical experience and philosophical tho...

A world-renowned psychiatrist reveals the fascinating story of psychiatry's origins, demise and redemption.Psychiatry has come a long way since the days of chaining 'lunatics' in cold cells and parading them as freakish marvels before a gaping public. But, as Jeffrey Lieberman reveals in his extraordinary and eye-opening book, the path to legitimacy for 'the black sheep of medicine' has been anything but smooth.In SHRINKS, Dr Lieberman traces the field from its birth as a m...

Everyone knows what is feels like to be in pain. Scraped knees, toothaches, migraines, giving birth, cancer, heart attacks, and heartaches: pain permeates our entire lives. We also witness other people - loved ones - suffering, and we 'feel with' them. It is easy to assume this is the end of the story: 'pain-is-pain-is-pain', and that is all there is to say. But it is not. In fact, the way in which people respond to what they describe as 'painful' has changed considerably over time. In the...

Gray's Anatomy is probably one of the most iconic scientific books ever published: an illustrated textbook of anatomy that is still a household name 150 years since its first edition, known for its rigorously scientific text, and masterful illustrations as beautiful as they are detailed.The Making of Mr Gray's Anatomy tells the story of the creation of this remarkable book, and the individuals who made it happen: Henry Gray, the bright and ambitious physiologist, poised for medical fame an...

For centuries, arsenic's image as a poison has been inextricably tied to images of foul play. In King of Poisons, John Parascandola examines the surprising history of this deadly element. From Gustave Flaubert to Dorothy Sayers, arsenic has long held a place in the literary realm as an instrument of murder and suicide. It was delightfully used as a source of comedy in the famous play Arsenic and Old Lace. But as Parascandola shows, arsenic has had a number of surprising real-wor...

Questions traditional explanations for Jewish excellence in science in the United States, the Soviet Union, and Palestine in the twentieth century.Scholars have struggled for decades to explain why Jews have succeeded extravagantly in modern science. A variety of controversial theories—from such intellects as C. P. Snow, Norbert Wiener, and Nathaniel Weyl—have been promoted. Snow hypothesized an evolved genetic predisposition to scientific success. Wiener suggested...

At the Battle of the Wilderness, General Ulysses Grant was interrupted in conversation with an aide to request use of an ambulance for a civilian doctor to visit the field hospitals. Grant refused repeatedly until he was told that the doctor was William Thomas Green Morton, the dentist who first demonstrated the use of ether.Grant said, "You are right, Doctor, he has done more for the soldier than any one else, soldier or civilian, for he has taught you all to banish pain. Let him ...