Facsimile of the first edition from 1900. This book traces the development of medicine from antiquity to the early modern period. Hermann Peters (1847-1920) describes the role of the physician, prevailing medical ideas, and therapeutic practices of past eras, placing them within their cultural and intellectual contexts. The work offers a vivid picture of historical medicine and demonstrates how healing arts, worldviews, and social structures were closely interconnected. By combining scholarly knowledge with clear narrative, the book makes the history of medical practice accessible to a broad readership.