The God of Medicine Gerald D Hart £26.95,  978-1-85315-409-6,  262pp,  Paperback,  July 2000

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Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, was one of the most popular deities of the ancient world. Literary evidence indicates that he was a real person whose deeds enabled him to become a hero-god and, eventually, an Olympian god. The influence of the basic medical practices and ethics of the physician worshippers of Asclepius was strong enough to survive not only the decline of the ancient Greek and Roman religions, but also the adoption of Christianity. During the Renaissance, the ancient theories relating to the physical factors causing sickness were rediscovered and it was this that effectively reawakened the progress of medical science. The staff of Asclepius remains the symbol of medical care today.

This book is a wide-ranging survey and discussion of the god, Asclepius, in the ancient world of Greece and Rome, based upon first-hand evidence from numismatic, literary and archaeological sources. It reviews Asclepian temple medicine and offers a clinical explanation for its success. It will be of interest to many of those working within or associated with the world of medicine today, as well as to teachers and students of the history of medicine.

Contents:
Asclepius - from myth to reality; The divine doctors; Serpents, superstition and the gods; Asclepian temples and religious practices; Asclepian temple medicine; Votives and talismans; Rome adopts Asclepius; Medical practice by Greek and Roman physicians; Asclepius everywhere; Asclepius and Christianity; Asclepian heritage; Asclepius and medical practice today.

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