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3I2
RECENT TIMES.
coercive measures and the confinement of the insane in
prisons ; and many others.
It has been possible here only to glance at the rich ,
acquisitions made by medical science in the 16th century:
for a complete description of particular lines of progress
would carry us too far and is not the task of the writer, of
this work. The examples adduced are sufficient to indicate
how the spirit of the age was reflected in the development
of medicine.
THE UNIVERSITIES IN THE SIXTEENTH
CENTURY.
THE intellectual life, thus developing itself with unexp
energy, resulted in the foundation of numerous universities. |
In Spain and Portugal, which countries in consequence of
the discoveries across the ocean were .pressed into the fore- f
ground among places of public interest, academies were
founded at Toledo (1520), Baeza (1533), Compostella (1534),
Granada (1540), Ossuna and Gandia (1549), Almagro (1552),
Orchuela (1555), Tarragona (1572), and Oviedo (1580);
universities arose even in the new world, at Lima (1551)
and Mexico (1553). But in the evolution of science the J
importance of these was but small. They quickly sank :
into oblivion when Spain, destined by fate to play the part J
of the leading maritime power, had, through the short- ;
sighted ecclesiastical policy of her rulers and the narrow- .
minded priest-ridden character of her people, fallen precipitately
from the political height which she had attained. I
England and the Netherlands, stepping into the place of
Spain, soon came to rule the trade and intercourse with
the countries across the ocean, and knew better how to
make use of the advantages of their position. Their prosperity
grew apace, and they became the wealthiest countries |
of the world. They united in their possession the riches of
America and the treasures of Asia; for even the Oriental
trade, which had hitherto found its way across Italy, now