03-03-2009, 08:47 AM
Quote:I don't think you are giving old Bart's a fair shake. I'm quite sure that many sick people have walked away from there healed. This source says, "The King(Henry VIII) commanded that Bart's duty was to minister to prisoners, to shelter the poor, to visit the sick, to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked and bury the dead. The Masters of the Hospital resolutely ignored these instructions concentrating their efforts as before on caring for the sick."
And what, pray tell, did they do heal these poor sods with 12th century medical technology?
They had no idea what the diseases were. They had no idea what the human anatomy was. Their theories on how the body functioned were complete fictions. Their medicines were at best barely more than placeboes, at worst, fatal. If they saved anyone, it was because even being stuck in with useless 'healers' and a host of other sick people was probably healthier than starving in a gutter somewhere, or because they recovered on their own and just happened to be in the hospital while they did.
Now, you're right, I'm not giving poor St. Bart's its due, but not because they had healing powers. It's because researchers there made key contributions to medical science.
-Jester