Main description:

For more than two thousand years, almost all doctors in the West used bloodletting to treat a great variety of diseases and conditions. In an attempt to find out why they acted thus, Dr Brain has translated the three works on bloodletting by the second-century physician Galen, which provide by far the most comprehensive account of the practice in antiquity. This is the first published version of these works in a modern language. After a brief summary of Galen's medical system, the author goes on to consider the origins of Galen's ideas and methods, with particular reference to the Hippocratic writings, and the question why Galen, in common with most of the ancient physicians, believed in the efficacy of the comedy. The effects of bloodletting are considered in terms of modem physiology and medicine, and the possibility is explored that it may indeed have been beneficial in the conditions prevailing in Galen's time.

Contents:

Preface; Notes; 1. Galen and his system: an introduction; 2. Galen's Book on Venesection against Erasistratus (translation); 3. Galen's Book on Venesection against the Erasistrateans in Rome (translation); 4. Galen's Book on Treatment by Venesection (translation); 5. Development of Galen's views and methods as shown in the three works; 6. Galen, venesection and the Hippocractic Corpus; 7. Galen's practice of venesection; 8. Galen's revulsive treatment and vascular anatomy; 9. The testimony of other writers and the validity of Galen's opinions on sites for venesection; 10. Galen's use of venesction as an evacuant: can it be justified? A medical digression; 11. Conclusion; Glossary; Index.