The genuine works of Hippocrates, Vol. 1 · Hippocrates
[228] VIII., 4.
“2d. Il examine quelles sont les propriétés des eaux, bonnes ou mauvaises. “3d. Il s’efforce de signaler les maladies qui prédominent suivant les saisons, et suivant les alternatives que chacune d’elles épreuve. “4th. Enfin, il compare l’Europe et l’Asie, et it rattache les différences physiques et morales qui en séparent les habitants, aux différences du sol et du climat.” He goes on, however, to state, that these four questions, although neatly put, are merely sketched, and half insinuates that it is a defect in the work, that it merely contains our author’s assertions, without the corresponding proofs. In a modern work, he remarks, the mode of procedure would be different; for it would be expected that the general truths should be supported by detailed and prolonged statistics on particular facts. It is to be borne in mind, however, that the work of Hippocrates was probably meant merely as a text-book, on which were grounded his public prelections, wherein would, no doubt, be given all the necessary proofs and illustrations. In this respect, it resembles the esoteric works of Aristotle, of which the author of them said that when they were published the contents of them, in one sense, were not communicated to the public, as they would be unintelligible without the illustrations by which they were accompanied when delivered in his school. In conclusion, I would beg leave to remark that, if the work of Hippocrates, in its present form, appear defective when compared with what a modern work on the same subject would be expected to be, it has also peculiar traits which would hardly be matched in a modern composition. In a modern work we might have a greater abundance of particular facts, and a more copious detail of individual observations, but would there be such an exuberance of general truths, of grand results, and of original reflections? [371] The classical reader is referred to Theophrastus’ treatise De Signis Aquarum et Ventorum, for much interesting information on this subject.--See also Galen, Op. tom. v., p. 346, 347, ed. Basil.
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