The Henson Journals

Thu 5 March 1925

Volume 38, Pages 237 to 238

[237]

Thursday, March 5th, 1925.

With the spread of Christianity, interest in phenomena had dwindled. The light of science had become dim, then flickered, and finally went out. Medicine alone survived – but how changed! In the absence of any theoretical interests, medical knowledge had progressively deteriorated. The anatomical, physiological, and pathological bases of medical knowledge were more & more disregarded. The later Latin medical works were thus reduced to mere lists of remedies, and entirely ignore theory. All such arbitrary treatments of mental needs bring their own nemesis. Such works, from being practical become empirical, from empirical they pass to being merely rule–of–thumb, then corrupt, and finally basely superstitious. Before the process was ended, learned and Christian physicians had attached their names to material as mean and debased as any which the field–anthropologist has elicited from the lore of the lowest savages. From Hippocrates the Great of Cos to Marcellus Empiricus of Bordeaux is 800 years. The difference in outlook between the two is as the difference between the practice of Lister and the lowest type of magic.

Singer. 'Ancient Medicine' in 'Science & Civilization p.70

[238]

The advocates of spiritual healing profess a great respect for the work of the medical profession, but their belief in miracle as an accessible method of healing must have the effect of reducing the value & finally superseding the use of physical treatment. What was experienced in the ancient world when Greek medicine declined before the aggressive theurgy of the Church will be experienced within the shrinking area of the religious world today.

I corrected and despatched two proofs, 1) that of my address to the Diocesan Conference, to the printers of the Hibbert Journal: and 2) that of the Preface to the 2nd edition of 'Quo tendimus? to Hodder and Stoughton.

After lunch I motored to Long Newton, and confirmed 14 persons in the parish church. This parson is, I fear, a poor creature of the malade imaginaire type. There were but 3 girls presented, & the congregation consisted of half a dozen women. The parish contains 453 inhabitants.

Then I went on to Norton, and confirmed 104 persons in the noble church. Here everything seemed to be going on well. Fuller & his son, who acts as curate, are evidently working hard. Both Norton (£1100) and Longnewton [sic] (£601) are in the patronage of the Bishop of Chester.

I returned to Auckland after service.