
audiobook
DEDICATION.
PREFACE.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THOMAS S. SOZINSKEY, M.D., Ph.D.
COMMENDATORY LETTERS.
MEDICAL SYMBOLISM. - CHAPTER I. REMARKS ON THE MEANING OF SYMBOLS.
CHAPTER II. THE SERPENTINE GOD OF MEDICINE AT ROME.
CHAPTER III. THE ÆSCULAPIAN SERPENT.
CHAPTER IV. THE EPIDAURIAN ORACLE.
CHAPTER V. ASCLEPIA AND THE ASCLEPIADES.
CHAPTER VI. THE GRECIAN GOD OF MEDICINE.
This compact essay invites readers into the forgotten world of medical symbolism, linking ancient healing practices with the evolution of hygiene. Drawing on a wide range of archaeological findings and classical texts, the author weaves myth, legend, and early scientific thought into a single narrative that highlights how symbols shaped physicians' understanding of disease. The tone is scholarly yet accessible, offering a fresh lens for anyone curious about the roots of modern medicine.
Beyond the symbolic catalog, the work ventures into practical curiosities—ancient prescriptions, hygiene rituals, and the cultural meanings attached to them. By quoting original sources in translation, the author lets readers hear the voices of Hippocrates, Celsus, and lesser‑known healers without overwhelming footnotes. The resulting portrait is both a celebration of forgotten scholarship and a call to re‑examine the legacy that still informs today’s clinical thinking.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (281K characters)
Series
Physicians' and students' ready reference series, no. 9
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: F. A. Davis, 1891.
Credits
Emmanuel Ackerman, Evander Cobban and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2022-11-28
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

d. 1889
An Irish-born physician and writer, he brought medical history to life with a lively interest in symbolism, hygiene, beauty, and child care. Though he died young in Philadelphia in 1889, his work still offers a vivid glimpse into late 19th-century ideas about health and culture.
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