The partnership of theologians and psychiatrists

Abstract

The Caduceus, the insigne of medicine, is symbolic of the staff given by Apollo to Hermes, the messenger of the gods, as a magic wand that bestowed riches on everything it touched. Ever since the dawn of reason, man has believed that healing has come from the gods through their messengers blessed with therapeutic powers. Many primitive religions have taught this. The practices of many forms of medicine have their roots in the magi cal, religious practices of primitive tribes and civilizations. Imhotep, chief counselor and minister to the Egyptian Pharaoh, Zoser, was not only a priest, a magician, and a poet, but he is also represented in Egyptian writings as a god of medicine. It is believed that the ancient Egyptian physicians were trained in the temples, even though they formed a rather well-organized, distinct profession. They depended on magical formulas and prayers rather than on drugs. Most Egyptian physicians believed that the effect of drugs was primarily magical, and that healing must be found in religious experiences. Priests, too, have historically shared the belief that all healing comes from the gods. Since earliest times, most religious groups have believed it to be their duty to care for the sick, the diseased, and the lame. This is especially true of Judaism and Christianity, which have bequeathed to modern man hospitals and other institutions to heal the sick, comfort the