# Quote — William H. McNeill, Plagues and Peoples

> New diseases like syphilis seemed to call for new and "stronger" medicines; and this became one of the stock arguments for resort to the Paracelsian chemical pharmacopeia and mystical medical philosophy. With every fundamental of medicine thus called into question, the only logical recourse was to observe results of cures administered in accordance with the old Galenic as against the new Paracelsian theories, and then to choose whichever worked better. The swift development of European medical practice to levels of skill exceeding all other civilized traditions resulted.

- Author: [William H. McNeill](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-h-mcneill.md)
- Book: [Plagues and Peoples](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-h-mcneill/plagues-and-peoples.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_H._McNeill#Plagues_and_Peoples_(1976)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-h-mcneill/plagues-and-peoples/new-diseases-like

## More from this book

> The principle obstacle to human dominion over the rain forests is still the rich variety of parasites lying in wait for intruders.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-h-mcneill/plagues-and-peoples/the-principle-obstacle.md)

> When variations could be so extravagantly successful, displacement of one humanoid population by another even more effective group of hunters must have occurred frequently. Survival was more likely for the more formidable in battle as well as for the more efficient in the hunt.

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> Decisive breakthroughs in military medical administration came just after the turn of the twentieth century. Until then, in even the best-managed armies, disease was always a far more lethal factor than enemy action, even during active campaigns.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-h-mcneill/plagues-and-peoples/decisive-breakthroughs-in-military.md)