Demosthenes Philalethes ( Gr. ) was an ancient Greek physician of

Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

who was one of the pupils of

Alexander Philalethes Alexander Philalethes (ancient Greek, Gr. ) was an Ancient Greek medicine, ancient Greek physician, whom Priscian called Alexander Amator Veri (Alexander Truth-Lover),Priscian, iv. p. 102, d. and who was probably the same person quoted by Caelius A ...

, a contemporary of

Aristoxenus Aristoxenus of Tarentum ( el, Ἀριστόξενος ὁ Ταραντῖνος; born 375, fl. 335 BC) was a Greek Peripatetic philosopher, and a pupil of Aristotle. Most of his writings, which dealt with philosophy, ethics and music, have been ...

, and a follower of the teachings of

Herophilos Herophilos (; grc-gre, Ἡρόφιλος; 335–280 BC), sometimes Latinised Herophilus, was a Greek physician regarded as one of the earliest anatomists. Born in Chalcedon, he spent the majority of his life in Alexandria. He was the first sci ...

Galen Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus ( el, Κλαύδιος Γαληνός; September 129 – c. AD 216), often Anglicized as Galen () or Galen of Pergamon, was a Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman Empire. Considered to be one ...

, ''De Differ. Puls.'' iv. 4, vol. viii. p. 727 He succeeded Alexander as the head of the Herophilean school of medicine in Carura. He probably lived around the beginning of the 1st century, and was especially celebrated for his skill as an

oculist Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...

. He was the author of the most influential

ophthalmological Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...

work of antiquity, the ''Ophthalmicus'', on diseases of the eye, which appears to have been still extant in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, but of which nothing now remains, although some extracts are preserved by

Aëtius Amidenus Aetius, Aëtius, or Aetios (Ἀέτιος) may refer to: People * Aetius (philosopher), 1st- or 2nd-century doxographer and Eclectic philosopher * Aëtius of Antioch, 4th-century Anomean theologian * Flavius Aetius, Western Roman commander in chi ...

Paul of Aegina Paul of Aegina or Paulus Aegineta ( el, Παῦλος Αἰγινήτης; Aegina, ) was a 7th-century Byzantine Greek physician best known for writing the medical encyclopedia ''Medical Compendium in Seven Books.'' He is considered the “Father ...

Rufus of Ephesus Rufus of Ephesus ( el, Ῥοῦφος ὁ Ἐφέσιος, fl. late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD) was a Greek physician and author who wrote treatises on dietetics, pathology, anatomy, gynaecology, and patient care. He was an admirer of Hip ...

, and other later writers. He also wrote a work on the

pulse In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the n ...

, which is quoted by

. Demosthenes was the last known Herophilean in Asia Minor.

References

1st-century Greek physicians 1st-century writers Oculists Ancient Greek writers known only from secondary sources People from Roman Anatolia Ancient ophthalmologists {{Greece-med-bio-stub