The Complete Works of Claudius Galen, Vol. 18 Pt. 2

to perceive quickly and not to be ignorant of the state of the season. For thus he would be justly admired and would be a good physician. For those whom it is possible to save, he would be able to preserve even better by deliberating for a longer time regarding each case, and by foreknowing and foretelling those who are about to die and those who will be saved, he would be blameless.

In this passage, he further establishes the two previously mentioned chapters concerning the utility of prognosis. He added a third to them, stating that the physician is blameless if he predicts those who are about to be saved and those who are about to die; for a certain physician recently, not knowing that a youth who had just begun to break into a sweat in a syncopal manner, brought him into a bath, and then, when much sweat occurred, he rejoiced as if he had accurately guessed the opportune moment, but when the youth died a little later, he was accused by the relatives as if he himself had killed him. Therefore, as far as

to perceive quickly and not to be ignorant of the state of the time. For thus everyone will deservedly admire him, and he will be considered an excellent physician. For he will also be able to save those who can be saved all the better, having pondered long before the treatment of each individual, and if he has foreseen and predicted both those who are about to die and those who are about to recover, he will be completely free from all blame.

In this discourse, he confirms anew the two uses of precognition which we explained before: and he has added a third besides, that no one will attribute fault to a physician if he has predicted those who are about to escape death and those who are about to die. For recently, one of the physicians, ignorant of the fact that a young man had already begun to break out in moistures, such as occur in fainting fits, over the whole body, brought him into a bath. Then, when a copious sweat had resulted, he congratulated himself vehemently, as if he had most aptly conjectured the opportune time for bathing. But the youth himself died not long after, and his relatives [accused] him—