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THE TIME OF HIPPOKRATES. 65
of midwifery was at first confined to men and was given
over to women only after they had received instruction
from men, point to the fact that the midwives owed their
medical knowledge to the doctors?*
_ Medical practice was permitted to everyone who con­
sidered that he possessed the requisite knowledge. The
doctors treated patients, as has been already said, either
in the Iatreia or else visited them professionally in their
own homes. In the Hippokratic writings and especially
in the "Epidemics" a number of cases of illness are
mentioned and in every instance the residences of the
patients are given. In their visits the doctors took
with them certain of their assistants and pupils and
charged them with many of the functions appertaining
to the treatment. Thus they had firmly fixed in their mind
" the medicines and their properties and all that has been
written upon the subject " as also the methods of treatment,
before they trusted themselves with the sick. " On enter­
ing a sick room a man should sit down, show a modest
dignified demeanour, should not speak too much or let
himself become embarrassed. He then should approach the
patient, pay attention to him, reply to his complaints,
remove any hindrances to his repose, criticize any want of
order,, and be prepared to render any service." These
visits must be frequently repeated, in which way any
mistakes can be corrected. The doctor must take care to
see how the sleeping apartment of his patients is situated,
and whether they are disturbed by noise or annoyed by
strong smells and in such a case he must urge with tact but
with firmness that such conditions be improved.f In
serious cases of illness consultations between several
doctors took place " for it is no subject for shame " as is
stated in the Hippokratic treatises " if a doctor, who in a
"given case of disease is in doubt and from want of ex­
perience does not see to the bottom of the circumstances
•'•* HYGINUS: fabul. 274.—WELCKER op. cit. S. 195 et seq.
r».v f HIPPOKRATES ofi. cit. T. ix, 238 et seq.