2. Strombeck DR. Small Animal Gastroenterology. Davis,California: Stonegate Publishing, 1979: 304.

3. Murtaugh RJ, Jacobs RM. Serum amylase and isoamylaseand their origins in healthy dogs and dogs with experimentallyinduced pancreatitis. Am J Vet Res 1985; 46: 742.

4. Hardy RM. Acute pancreatitis: a review. Proc Am Anim HospAssoc 1974: 324.

5. Cameron JL, Capuzzi DM, Zuidema GD, Margolis S. Acutepancreatitis with hyperlipemia - Evidence for a persistent defectin lipid metabolism. Am J Med 1974; 56: 482.

6. Havel RJ. Pathogenesis, differentiation and management ofhypertriglyceridemia. Adv Intern Med 1969; 15: 117.

7. Lindsay S. Entenman C, Chalkoff IL. Pancreatitis accompany-ing hepatic disease in dogs fed a high fat, low protein diet. ArchPathol 1948; 45: 635.

8. Haig TH. Experimental pancreatitis intensified by a high fatdiet. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1970; 119: 914.

9. Anderson NV. Pancreatitis in dogs. Vet Clin North Am (SmallAnim Pract) 1972; 2: 79.

10. Kronfeld DS. Canine Nutrition. University of Pennsylvania,School of Veterinary Medicine. 1985: 13.

11. Hill FWG, Kidder DE. Fat assimilation in dogs, estimated bya fat balance procedure. J Small Anim Pract 1972; 13: 23.

VETERINARY HISTORY

HISTOIRE VETtRINAIRE

The Discovery of Chiron's Cave, a PrehistoricSchool of Medicine for Animals and Humans

Walter Hausmann and Wolfgang Jochle

AbstractChiron the centaur, mythical inventor of medicine foranimals and humans, and emblem of numerous vet-erinary associations worldwide, is possibly an historicpersonality of the prehomeric period (ca 1300 B.C.)Only 600 to 700 years later did the legend form thatcentaurs (in antique Greek: "hunters on horseback ofthe wild bull") were wild creatures, half horse and halfman, and associated with uncontrolled libido and itssocially destructive forces. According to tradition,literary as well as folkloric, Chiron taught his medicineto the ruling class of his time in a specially preparedcave in the Pelion Mountains (=the healing moun-tains) of Eastern Thessalia. Following leads fromancient authors and local traditions, a cave fitting thelocation and description was discovered in 1981 by thesenior author. Details about its location, and obser-vations about its surroundings, including ancient andmodern place names indicate once more that Chiron,the centaur, stands for an historic personality.

Chiron, the centaur, the mythical inventor of0medicine for animal and man, is the emblem of

numerous veterinary associations worldwide, includingthe World Association for the History of VeterinaryMedicine, the National Veterinary Medical Associa-tion of Britain and Ireland, the Veterinary History

Grubfeldweg 32, D-8924 Steingaden, Federal Republic ofGermany (Hausmann); 10 Old Boonton Road, Denville,New Jersey 07834 (Jochle).

Presented at the XXIII World Veterinary Congress,Section 17, History of Veterinary Medicine, Montreal, 1987.

Society, London, the Centaur Society, Bristol, theAustralian Veterinary Association, the VeterinaryAssociation, Pretoria, SA, the Polish VeterinaryAssociation, and many others.

Chiron's role as the "inventor"of medicine ingeneral, based to a large extent on pharmacognosy orethnopharmacology, and that of veterinary medicinespecifically is deeply rooted in ancient mythology andlegend. Sources are not only several ancient authors,but also local, age-old traditions in the Pelion Moun-tains of Northern Greece, which are perpetuated ver-bally today. These ancient Greek legends and their oralpreservation into our days provided us with leadsabout the historic figure of Chiron, his master pupilAsklepios, and the location of Chiron's cave where hetaught medicine for men as well as animals.

Chiron and Asklepios* are historic personalities toHomer (1). They belong to the prehomeric period andlived possibly in the 13th century B.C. The membersof the tribe of the centaurs were not monsters with aman's head, torso and arms and horse's body and legs.This legend developed much later, in the 7th and 6thcentury B.C. In the antique Greek language, the word"Kentaur" stands for "hunter on horseback of thewild oxen". King Ixion of Thessalia was said to havepromised rich rewards for those who killed the wildoxen devastating his fields. Legend has it that the"Kentaurs" were especially successful in reaping theserewards. Legends often have an historic nucleus.Our assumption that Chiron and Asklepios are

indeed historical personalities is shared by others.Today, historians generally accept that mythical

*Asclepius, or Aesculapius in Roman tradition.

Can Vet J Volume 29, October 1988 857

figures of the late Mycenaean period were historic per-

sonalities. The Greek philosopher Euhemero (311-298B.C. in the service of King Kassandros) took the leadto demystify the gods venerated by the Greeks:he declared that they were originally outstandingpersonalities (2), a point of view shared much later byIsaac Newton. Benseler, a classical scholar, in 1879,mentioned in his "Greek Dictionary" that the centaurswere a tribe which had settled between Mount Ossaand the Pelion Mountains in Eastern Thessalia (3).Much later they were called "those with the legs ofhorses", probably because they were accomplishedhorseback riders. Georges, another classical scholar,also in 1879, in his "Latin Dictionary", calls thecentaurs a tribe living in forests and mountains, whoexcelled as huntsmen on horseback (4). In their studyon "Asclepius. A collection and interpretation of thetestimony", E.J. and L. Edelstein in 1945 (5) presentednumerous pieces of evidence that Asklepios, the princeof Trikke, was actually a student and pupil of Chiron.Since then, the first Asklepios- Treatment Center, builtby Asklepios himself, has been uncovered in Trikalla,as the town is called today. Further informationon Chiron and the centaurs has been presented byC.W. Schwabe (6).When combining older information with the results

of recent research, the following picture about theearliest development of Western medicine emerges:

Chiron was the chief of a tribe invading NorthernGreece on horseback, probably from Thracia (2,7).Although horses are documented several centuriesearlier in Greece, they were used as draft animals only.Chiron's appearance seems to coincide with the earliestappearance of a horse with a rider from the LowerHelliadic IlIb phase of Mycenae, i.e. about 1300 B.C.(8). Chiron may have brought with him knowledgefrom earlier Indo-Germanic and Asiatic traditions as

well, combining medical approaches to injuries anddiseases in humans and animals.

Chiron obviously became a teacher of this knowl-edge, possibly supplemented by his own experiences.All sources agree that he used a cave as a center forhis "School", and that his pupils were the princes ofthe surrounding kingdoms and principalities. Only thisruling class had the time, the funds, and the motiva-tion to study: they strove to stay healthy, i.e. in power;and they were interested in securing the health of theirlarge livestock holdings. As Sigerist (9) pointed out,herds of livestock represented tangible evidence ofhealth. The loss of a cow or of a bull sometimesrepresented to the owner a greater loss than that ofa child - which could be replaced without financialsacrifices. Schwabe (6) sees Chiron as the educatorand warden of the sons of leading Greek familiestemporarily held hostage by the centaurs.

Starting with Chiron, medicine split quickly into twobranches or schools: that of Chiron's descendants,embracing the school of Chironids and the school ofAsklepios. The Chironids were mostly active on theMagnesia peninsula, (again in the Pelion Mountains)as well as in Demetrias, a town close by, which was

founded in 294 B.C. This indicated that Chiron'sdescendants worked locally as healers for man andbeast for at least one thousand years. Thereafter, their

trail is lost (2,7,10,11).This did not happen with the second branch of

Chiron's school, the school of Asklepios. Starting, as

Chiron did, in caves as the place for exercising the art,Asklepios himself may have already moved intospecially equipped buildings. Several of his sons anddaughters became physicians. Their descendantsquickly spread the body of knowledge about healingacross Greece and its islands: of the Asklepieions,originally places of veneration of Asklepios, some

became "health spas" and others "schools ofmedicine". Hippocrates (460-370 B.C.) is a direct off-spring of this school, which Greek physicians laterbrought to Rome. One of Rome's greatest physicians,Galenus, stands in the same tradition. But long beforeHippocrates this branch of an originally generalmedical tradition - Asklepios treated men and beastsalike had split into a medical and veterinary branch.Greek veterinary medicine spread equally aroundEurope in the confines of the Roman Empire. Namesof veterinarians in Chiron's tradition are: Apsyrtos,Theomnestos, Pelagonios, Columella, Chiron theYounger, and Vegetius Renatus (2,7,10).

Several of these authors refer to a book on equinemedicine, supposedly written by Chiron, which is lost.The chapters said to come from Chiron include thoseon glanders, febrile diseases, epistaxis, blood lettingand about many medicinal plants. This indicates a

significant body of empirical knowledge. But as

Pindaros describes, the medical art Chiron com-

manded was fourfold: "All of those approaching him,with hereditary defects, or injured at their limbs bythe cut of the iron, or hit by stones, or hurt by thesummer's heat or by winter's cold: he absolved themfrom their pain and had them returning (sound). Somehe cured with calming incantations; others withsoothing and healing potions; or he bandaged limbswith curing herbs. Others were cured by the knife." (2)

Hence, Chiron knew about psychotherapy, the useof drugs, and he used surgery a word etymologicallylinked to his name.

If Chiron was an "historical" personality, wherewas his place, especially his cave, serving as "medicalschool"?Homer, in his Iliad, knew that Chiron lived in the

Pelion Mountains. Pindar places Chiron's cave on theMagnesia Peninsula. Further details are to be foundby Nikandros, a physician in the 2nd century B.C. Hementions the wooded valley of Pelethron repeatedly:here, according to tradition, was Chiron's cave, wherehe lived, for some years together with Asklepios. Therewas also Chiron's plantation of medicinal herbs andthere Asklepios raised the snake which later becamehis attribute (2,7,11).We (W. Hausmann and Mrs. Hausmann), as a result

of having studied these ancient authors, became con-

vinced that this cave may still exist and were almostobsessed with finding it. Inquiries directed to localarcheological authorities were disappointing: Chironwas regarded by them as a mythical figure - hencethe search for the cave a futile exercise. Help came

from local farmers, herdsmen and shepherds, andfrom age-old Thessalic legends placing Chiron's cave

somewhere in the mountains between the village of

858~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CaVe J VoumCan Vet J Volume 29, October 19881-858

Malaki down at the shore and the small hamlet ofTsangarada higher up in the mountains (Figure 1).Following this guidance, on August 25, 1981, we dis-covered Chiron's cave close to the village of Milies (orMileae) in a deep-cut wooded valley, the so calledPeletronic valley (Figure 2).

Figure 1. These maps show Greece in her entirety, and inthe insert the peninsula of Magnesia in the NortheasternGreek province of East Thessalia. To the West is the Gulfof Pagasae, to the East the Aegean Sea. The capital city isVolos; its ancient name was Iolkos. The cave is located Westof Milies, or Mileae.

The cave itself is a typical cave dwelling; on its rightside a bedplate for two has been carved out of the rock,exactly as legend had it (Figures 3 and 4). The cave isabout 12 feet wide, 24 feet deep and 15 feet high. Itis located at a little mountain stream with crystal clearwater and very close to an age-old path, which horsescan travel from the cave at an altitude of 360 m (about1200 feet) down to the shore (12). The valley is studdedwith pine, beech, chestnut, and apple trees. Green,flower-covered meadows abound. We are convincedthat digging in and around the cave would yield valu-able findings. Since only the Greek government has

Figure 2. A close-up of the Pelethronic valley in whichChiron had his dwelling. It takes its name from a medicinalherb Chiron discovered, which in Greek is called"Pelethronia", in Latin "Centaureum" and with its scien-tific name "Erythrea centauricum". Its name in English is"Feverwort", in German "Tausendguldenkraut". Inveterinary medicine it was a previously widely usedstomachicum, or stomachic tonic. The cave is at the footof the cliff, covered by trees.

Figure 3. The entrance to the cave dwelling. The entrancewas closed with a wall and had a door. Today it serves as

a barn for mountain sheep. One has to imagine that suchcaves were furnished with some pieces of furniture, with rugs,hides and skins. Such cave dwellings are still in use in theCanary Islands. One should be reminded that even Zeus was

born at Crete in a cave.

Can Vet J Volume 29, October 1988

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nci859!t%

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Figure 4. Chiron's Cave: On the side is a smaller cave;above there are caverns out of reach. Carved out of the rockis a bedplate for Chiron and Chariklo, his wife.

the authority to excavate, it is hoped that the generalinterest in this, the cradle of Western Medicine, willmove local and/or national authorities to initiate aconcerted exploration of this find.Having located Chiron's cave is not so remarkable.

It is amazing that it happened only recently, since thereare so many pointers to it. Local legends are a ratherreliable source of information, as our endeavor hasshown: the locals were quite familiar with Chiron'scave, even under this name. That local traditions canrelate to historic happenings that occurred milleniaearlier has been scientifically proven. Examples in thevicinity of Chiron's cave are: In spring, the villageMakrinitza in the Pelion Mountains celebrates theresurrection of Adonis. This feast relates to dionysicmysteries, which according to legend Melampousintroduced into Thessalia - who as a local king andanimal healer was a pupil of Chiron. In Volos, thecapital of the Magnesia district, the voyage of theArgonauts is re-enacted every July: several of Chiron'spupils participated in this journey. In the little townof Tirnavos a large procession is performed duringLent exhibiting a big phallus, in order to assure fer-tility in men, animals and the field. This traditioncomes from orphic mysteries, which were installed byOrpheus, again a legendary pupil of Chiron.A recent, but unrelated, discovery once more sub-

stantiates the fact that local traditions may have anhistoric background: in a cave in Bavaria, locally calledthe "virgin's cave", archeologists discovered skeletonsfrom young women obviously sacrificed to the godsat about 4000 B.C. Local traditions have told of it foralmost 6000 years.

There is another piece of evidence pointing towardthe authenticity of this cave as "Chiron's cave". Thenearby village named Mileae was once called Maleae.Maleae is also the name of an area in the Southeastof the Peloponnesus, an area to which Chiron with-drew when fleeing from the Lapiths and where he died.He apparently took the name of his old residence intoexile. Another tribal leader of the centaurs, Pholos,retreated to the border of Elis and Arcadia, whereMount Pholoe still gives witness to him.

Chiron, the symbol of Veterinary Medicine, waspossibly one of the most learned men of his time, andjudging from the lasting impression he made he prob-ably also was one of its most prominent philosophers.A Chinese metaphor seems apt at this point to illumi-nate the difference between a learned man and a truephilosopher:"The learned man is like a raven feeding its off-spring: it disgorges from its crop what it has eatenbefore.The true philosopher is like a silk worm, which doesnot void leaves from the mulberry tree, but silk."Why the centaurs in general over time became for

the ancient world symbols for half-man half-horse likemonsters, and why they were associated with uncon-trolled libido and its socially destructive forces, is astory that awaits investigation.

References1. Homer. Iliad 4,219.11.832 and 2,731.f.4,191.219.2. Hausmann W. Chironica Ars. Antike Autoren ueber Cheiron.

Dtsch Tieraerztl Wochenschr 1982; 89: 393.3. Benseler GE. Griechisch-Deutsches Schul-Worterbuch. 6.

Auflage. Leipzig: Verlag B.G. Teubner, 1879.4. Georges KE. Ausfuhrliches Lateinisch-Deutsches Worterbuch

in vier Banden. Leipzig: Hahn'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1879.5. Edelstein EJ, Edelstein L. Asclepius. A Collection and Inter-

pretation of the Testimony. Baltimore: John Hopkins Press,1945.

6. Schwabe CW. Cattle, Priests and Progress in Medicine. Min-nesota University Press, 1978.

7. Hausmann W. Cheiron. Eine weitere Sammlung und Auslegungvon Zeugnissen. Dtsch Tieraerztl Wochenschr 1984; 91: 24.

8. Wiesner J. Archaeologia Homerica. Band 1, Kapitel F. Fahrenund Reiten. Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1968:Fl 14-F1 17.

9. Sigerist HE. A History of Medicine. L. Primitive and ArchaicMedicine. New York: Oxford University Press, 1967: 4.

10. Hausmann W. Die Erfinder der Tierheilkunde. Die Cheiron-sage und ihr Symbolgehalt. Dtsch Tieraerztl Wochenschr 1976;83: 414.

11. Hausmann W. Thessalien - ein Schauplatz der Mediz-ingeschichte. Tieraerztl Umsch 1981; 36: 824.

12. Hausmann W. Die medizinische Hohlenschule des Cheiron.Antike Welt. Z Archaologie 1983; 1: 59.

860 Can Vet J Volume 29, October 1988