History of Science 2151F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Democedes, Therapeutic Touch, A Prophet
8 Feb 2016
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The medical profession: homer: techne | cheiron asclepius macharn/ podalirius. When there is a need for a special skill. There was not a need for special professions. A prophet, a special person that connects the gods and humans. A shipwright, someone who fixes ships and houses. A bard, a poet, someone who keeps stories alive, entertainment, historian kind of. These four are called to places and go places that they are needed. People were self sufficient at that time largely so, but they needed these four professions otherwise. Healers deal with similar conditions as in homer. And seasonal things like fevers from hot or cold. They are using the knife and they cut out arrows and growths. a new kind of use of the knife is making an incision to bleed this person and the blood is collected in the bowl under the patient. This is an old tradition in many cultures. It is to release blood that is in excess.
