ABSTRACT
The basis of the doctrine of the Empirics was that in medicine reasoning was useless and experience alone was necessary. Among the most celebrated Empirics, Zeuxis, and more especially Heracleides of Tarentum, are to be mentioned. The disciples of the Empiric School regarded Acron of Agrigentum as the founder of their sect, and we know that he lived in the time of Hippocrates. Daremberg is very severe in his criticism of the Empiric school, while Haeser is certainly more just and admits that it rendered considerable service to the practice of medicine. Galen, who has given us the ideas of Asclepiades in great detail, points out that the system of this physician was entirely based on the teachings of Epicurus. Asclepiades' therapeutics were not as original as he maintained, for other physicians had already shown the excellent results obtained by gymnastics, massage, and hydrotherapy.
