Ancient Medicine Exam 2 Questions With Complete
Solutions
--Cato On Agriculture 157.12 trans. Loeb. Correct Answers
"Wild cabbage has the greatest strength; it should be dried and
macerated very fine. When it is used as a purge, let the patient
refrain from food the previous night and in the morning, still
fasting, take macerated cabbage with four cyathi of water.
Nothing will purge so well, neither hellebore, nor scammony; it
is harmless and highly beneficial; it will heal persons whom you
despair of healing."
--Cato On Agriculture 157.7 trans. Loeb (modified) Correct
Answers "Headache and eye-ache [cabbage] heals alike. It
should be eaten in the morning, on an empty stomach. Also if
there is black bile, if the spleen is swollen, if the heart is painful,
or the liver, or the lungs, or the diaphgram--in a word, it will
cure all the internal organs which are suffering."
--Dioscorides On Materia Medica 1.13 trans. Riddle Correct
Answers "It has a diuretic, warming, drying, gently astringent
quality. It is suitable for improving sight and as an emollient;
with honey it removes moles; it brings out the menses and drunk
it helps those with spider bites and also being drunk it is good
for internal inflammations and inflammations of the kidneys and
for women either as a sitz bath or as a fumigant it dilates the
orifice of the uterus. If cinnamon should be lacking then double
the amount [of cassia]; it will do the same [as cinnamon]. It is
very useful for so many things."
,--Galen Art of Medicine 4, 1.315K Correct Answers "What
proceeds from the very nature of the best-constituted bodies is
the balance of the homogenous parts in respect of heat, cold,
dryness, and moisture; and the balance of the organic parts in
respect of quantity and magnitude of their component elements,
and also in construction and position of each of its parts and of
the organ of the whole. What proceeds from the attributes which
are necessary consequences of these homogenous parts is as
follows: with respect to the sense of touch, a balance between
hardness and softness; with respect to sense of sight, a good
color and balance between smoothness and roughness; in the
context of activities, the perfect performance of them, which is
also called 'excellence'. What proceeds from the necessary
consequences of these organic parts consists in the proportion
and beauty of the organs of the body as a whole, and also in the
excellence of their activities. Such are the diagnostic signs of the
best constitution of the body."
--Galen On Distinguishing Pulses 4.3, 8.959K = Herophilus fr.
162.77-88 vS trans. Berrey Correct Answers "In general pulse
seems to differ from pulse in amount, size, speed, vehemence,
and rhythm. From their differences in these respects pulse at
times appears proper and [at times] not proper. One pulse seems
to differ and be recognized generally as different from another,
as was said, in rhythm, size, speed, vehemence. If in the same
rhythm one pulse seems to differ from another in speed, size,
and vehemence."
--Galen On Prognosis 5.18-19 Correct Answers "I showed that
an intake of breath is produced by the dilation of the thorax, an
exhalation by its contraction, and displayed the muscles by
,which it is dilated and contracted, and also the nerves branching
to them which have their origin in the spinal cord. I also
demonstrated how an unforced release of breath produces a
soundless exhalation and the alternative, forced release is
accompanied by a sound and we call it efflatus. I also revealed
how this efflatus itself, when, in its passage along the larynx, it
strikes against the cartilages there, produces voice: these
cartilages are activated by muscles and damage to the nerves
that activiate the latter results in loss of voice."
--Galen On the Doctrines of Hippocrates and Plato 6.6-11 trans.
De Lacy = Erasistratus fr. 201 Garofalo Correct Answers "At
the mouth of the vena cava there are three membranes, very
similar in arrangement to the barbs of arrows; and for that
reason, I believe, some of the Erasistrateans called them three-
barbed [triscupid]. Those of the venous artery [pulmonary vein]
-- I give this name to the vessel that comes from the left
ventricle of the heart and divides into branches that go to the
lungs -- are very similar in form but not equal in number; for
this mouth alone has two membranes attached to it [mitral
valve]. Each of the other two has three, all of them crescent-
shaped [pulmonary valve, aortic valve]. According to
Erasistratus' explanation of this observation, each of these others
is an exit, one of them carrying blood to the lungs, the other,
pneuma to the body. The use of the membranes, as he thinks, is
to provide to the heart opposite services, which alternate at
suitable intervals of time. The membranes attached to the vessels
that bring matter into the heart move from the outside in and are
overcome by the influx of matter; and as they fall back they
open the entrances to the cavities of the heart and allow
unobstructed movement to the matter that is being drawn to the
, heart. For he says that matter does not flow in of its own accord
as into some lifeless receptacle, but the heart itself expands like
the blacksmith's bellows and draws it in, filling itself by the
expansion. And he said that there are other membranes attached
to the vessels that carry the matter out; these, he thought,
experience the opposite movement, for they slant outward from
the inside, and when they are overwhelmed by the departing
matter, they open up the passages for as long as the heart is
supplying the matter; but the rest of the time they hold the
orifices tightly shut, permitting nothing that has been sent out to
reenter. In the same way the membra
--Galen Synopsis of His Own Books on Pulses 12, 9.463-4 K =
Herophilus fr. 183.1-11 vS trans. Berrey Correct Answers "So
the time-units with dilation and contraction have been written
also by Herophilus, since he drew ratio into rhythms for the sake
of his age-groups. For just as musicians establish those
[rhythms] in certain defined arrangements of time-units by
comparing the up-beat and down-beat with each other, so
Herophilus, supposing that the dilation of the artery was
analogous to the up-beat and that the contraction of the artery
was analogous to the down-beat, made his observation
beginning from a newly born child. Supposing that a perceptible
time-unit in which he found the artery dilating was primary, he
says that the [time-unit] of the contraction was at least equal to
it, not quite distinguishing about either of the rests."
--Marcellinus On Pulses 11, 463 Schöne = Herophilus fr. 182 vS
trans. Berrey Correct Answers "Herophilus declared that a
patient had fever whenever the pulse became more frequent,
larger, and more vehement with much internal heat. If therefore
Solutions
--Cato On Agriculture 157.12 trans. Loeb. Correct Answers
"Wild cabbage has the greatest strength; it should be dried and
macerated very fine. When it is used as a purge, let the patient
refrain from food the previous night and in the morning, still
fasting, take macerated cabbage with four cyathi of water.
Nothing will purge so well, neither hellebore, nor scammony; it
is harmless and highly beneficial; it will heal persons whom you
despair of healing."
--Cato On Agriculture 157.7 trans. Loeb (modified) Correct
Answers "Headache and eye-ache [cabbage] heals alike. It
should be eaten in the morning, on an empty stomach. Also if
there is black bile, if the spleen is swollen, if the heart is painful,
or the liver, or the lungs, or the diaphgram--in a word, it will
cure all the internal organs which are suffering."
--Dioscorides On Materia Medica 1.13 trans. Riddle Correct
Answers "It has a diuretic, warming, drying, gently astringent
quality. It is suitable for improving sight and as an emollient;
with honey it removes moles; it brings out the menses and drunk
it helps those with spider bites and also being drunk it is good
for internal inflammations and inflammations of the kidneys and
for women either as a sitz bath or as a fumigant it dilates the
orifice of the uterus. If cinnamon should be lacking then double
the amount [of cassia]; it will do the same [as cinnamon]. It is
very useful for so many things."
,--Galen Art of Medicine 4, 1.315K Correct Answers "What
proceeds from the very nature of the best-constituted bodies is
the balance of the homogenous parts in respect of heat, cold,
dryness, and moisture; and the balance of the organic parts in
respect of quantity and magnitude of their component elements,
and also in construction and position of each of its parts and of
the organ of the whole. What proceeds from the attributes which
are necessary consequences of these homogenous parts is as
follows: with respect to the sense of touch, a balance between
hardness and softness; with respect to sense of sight, a good
color and balance between smoothness and roughness; in the
context of activities, the perfect performance of them, which is
also called 'excellence'. What proceeds from the necessary
consequences of these organic parts consists in the proportion
and beauty of the organs of the body as a whole, and also in the
excellence of their activities. Such are the diagnostic signs of the
best constitution of the body."
--Galen On Distinguishing Pulses 4.3, 8.959K = Herophilus fr.
162.77-88 vS trans. Berrey Correct Answers "In general pulse
seems to differ from pulse in amount, size, speed, vehemence,
and rhythm. From their differences in these respects pulse at
times appears proper and [at times] not proper. One pulse seems
to differ and be recognized generally as different from another,
as was said, in rhythm, size, speed, vehemence. If in the same
rhythm one pulse seems to differ from another in speed, size,
and vehemence."
--Galen On Prognosis 5.18-19 Correct Answers "I showed that
an intake of breath is produced by the dilation of the thorax, an
exhalation by its contraction, and displayed the muscles by
,which it is dilated and contracted, and also the nerves branching
to them which have their origin in the spinal cord. I also
demonstrated how an unforced release of breath produces a
soundless exhalation and the alternative, forced release is
accompanied by a sound and we call it efflatus. I also revealed
how this efflatus itself, when, in its passage along the larynx, it
strikes against the cartilages there, produces voice: these
cartilages are activated by muscles and damage to the nerves
that activiate the latter results in loss of voice."
--Galen On the Doctrines of Hippocrates and Plato 6.6-11 trans.
De Lacy = Erasistratus fr. 201 Garofalo Correct Answers "At
the mouth of the vena cava there are three membranes, very
similar in arrangement to the barbs of arrows; and for that
reason, I believe, some of the Erasistrateans called them three-
barbed [triscupid]. Those of the venous artery [pulmonary vein]
-- I give this name to the vessel that comes from the left
ventricle of the heart and divides into branches that go to the
lungs -- are very similar in form but not equal in number; for
this mouth alone has two membranes attached to it [mitral
valve]. Each of the other two has three, all of them crescent-
shaped [pulmonary valve, aortic valve]. According to
Erasistratus' explanation of this observation, each of these others
is an exit, one of them carrying blood to the lungs, the other,
pneuma to the body. The use of the membranes, as he thinks, is
to provide to the heart opposite services, which alternate at
suitable intervals of time. The membranes attached to the vessels
that bring matter into the heart move from the outside in and are
overcome by the influx of matter; and as they fall back they
open the entrances to the cavities of the heart and allow
unobstructed movement to the matter that is being drawn to the
, heart. For he says that matter does not flow in of its own accord
as into some lifeless receptacle, but the heart itself expands like
the blacksmith's bellows and draws it in, filling itself by the
expansion. And he said that there are other membranes attached
to the vessels that carry the matter out; these, he thought,
experience the opposite movement, for they slant outward from
the inside, and when they are overwhelmed by the departing
matter, they open up the passages for as long as the heart is
supplying the matter; but the rest of the time they hold the
orifices tightly shut, permitting nothing that has been sent out to
reenter. In the same way the membra
--Galen Synopsis of His Own Books on Pulses 12, 9.463-4 K =
Herophilus fr. 183.1-11 vS trans. Berrey Correct Answers "So
the time-units with dilation and contraction have been written
also by Herophilus, since he drew ratio into rhythms for the sake
of his age-groups. For just as musicians establish those
[rhythms] in certain defined arrangements of time-units by
comparing the up-beat and down-beat with each other, so
Herophilus, supposing that the dilation of the artery was
analogous to the up-beat and that the contraction of the artery
was analogous to the down-beat, made his observation
beginning from a newly born child. Supposing that a perceptible
time-unit in which he found the artery dilating was primary, he
says that the [time-unit] of the contraction was at least equal to
it, not quite distinguishing about either of the rests."
--Marcellinus On Pulses 11, 463 Schöne = Herophilus fr. 182 vS
trans. Berrey Correct Answers "Herophilus declared that a
patient had fever whenever the pulse became more frequent,
larger, and more vehement with much internal heat. If therefore
