to all sorts of punishments and deprivations. Fortunately for him and for the cause of science the newly elected Pope, Clement IV. (1266), came to his rescue in those dark days and granted him—under the promise of absolute secrecy—permission to continue his researches without hindrance and to perfect the plans which he had in mind for reforms of different kinds. I cannot follow this pioneer of scientific research work, this man who was several centuries ahead of the time in which he lived, through all the vicissitudes of his interesting and extraordinarily fruitful life; I may simply add that his death occurred about the year 1294; that he left behind him many important treatises, only a small portion of which have thus far been published,[1] and that from these alone one is justified in classing Roger Bacon as one of the greatest thinkers whom history has recorded. So far as is now known, he wrote very little concerning medicine, and—strange to say—he seems to have attached considerable importance to astrology; indeed, he went so far as to blame the physicians of his day for their ignorance regarding this science, "as a result of which they neglect the best part of medicine." In strange contrast with these views, which to-day we characterize as foolishness, is Bacon's famous dictum: "Experiment is a firmer and more trustworthy basis of knowledge than argument"—a maxim which is the guiding principle of modern medicine.
The Medical School of Bologna.—The Medical School of Bologna first began to assume a certain degree of prominence in the early part of the thirteenth century, under the teaching of Thaddeus Alderotti—also frequently called Thaddeus of Florence.
Thaddeus Alderotti.—Thaddeus Alderotti, who was born at Florence, Italy, 1223 A. D., of humble parentage, began the study of philosophy and medicine at Bologna only after he had reached manhood; but he was such an earnest student and made such good use of his opportunities that in 1260 he was chosen to serve as one of the teachers in the school. Throughout a period of many years he filled the office so
- ↑ The Opus majus, ed. J. H. Bridges, Oxford, 1897 (2d edition, 1900); opera hactenus inedita, ed. B. Steele, Fasc. I., London.
