[24] That Hippocrates drew the rudiments of his medical knowledge from the reports of cases collected in the Asclepion of Cos, is attested by good authorities. See Strabo, Geogr., xiv.; Pliny, H. N., xxix., 2.
[25] On the introduction of the gymnastic exercises into the practice of medicine, see Schulze, Hist. Med., i., 2, 8. The author of the VI. Epidem. condemns Herodicus for using exercises in the treatment of acute diseases. Herodicus is frequently mentioned in the Dialogues of Plato. See Protagoras, § 20; and de Repub., iii. Plato says, that being in ill health, he wore out first himself and afterwards many others, by combining gymnastics with medicine.
[26] Somnus alludes to this fiction, and quotes Andreas as an authority for it. See also Pliny, H. N., xxix., 2. Tzetzes calls it the Temple of Cos, and not of Cnidos, which was burned.
[27] See Plato, Protagoras.
[28] Galen, Comment. in Libr. de Nat. Human.
[29] Suidas in voce Hippocrates.
[30] It was a common practice in ancient times to kindle great fires as disinfectants or deodorizers. We have entered pretty fully upon this subject in our Commentary on Paulus Ægineta, Vol. I., p. 274. There can be no doubt that it was the established practice of the profession in the days of Hippocrates. The names of Acron, Empedocles, and Hippocrates are particularly famous as having successfully adopted the practice. See Aëtius, v., 94; Paulus Ægineta, l. c.; Pliny, H. N., xxxvi., 69; and Plutarch, De Iside et Osiride.
[31] Hist., iii., 87.
[32] It deserves to be mentioned further, as adding probability to the present narrative, that it was quite common in ancient times for the Asclepiadæ to be publicly consulted by cities and States respecting the general health of the inhabitants, and this both for the prevention and cure of diseases. See Aristid. Opera, i., p. 81.
[33] Galen, in many parts of his works, alludes to the professional services of Hippocrates during the great plague described by Thucydides. He mentions decidedly that Thucydides gives only those symptoms which would strike a common, that is to say, a non-professional man; whereas Hippocrates describes the disease accurately like a professional man, but gives few of those symptoms which appeared most interesting to Thucydides.—De Difficult. Respir., ii., 7.