SS. Cosmas and Damian— Patron Saints of Medicine and Pharmacy Their Cult in England

AMONG the many saints associated with the healing arts, the twin brothers SS. Cosmas and Damian have long been revered and adopted as patrons. Their practice ofmedicine and surgery in Asia Minor without fe-hence called 'Anagyroi,' without silver-and their martyrdom in Aegea, in Cilicia, in the time of Diocletian, and according to tradition by Lysis, Roman Governor of the Province, made a lasting impression upon the early Church. Aegea became an important place of pilgrimage. Tlhe grafting by these physician-surgeons of a Moor's leg in replacement of a patient'sdiseased leg, and his surprise at finding himself possessed of two sound legs, his own white, and the other black, has been the subject of numerous paintings by artists of many countries, the majority of whom depict the brothers in long robes, holding surgical instruments, boxes of salves, gallipots, or other medical appliances.1 The cult of martyrs may be said to have started in Milan in the fourth century when the tombs of SS. Proteas and Gervais were transferred to the Ambrosius Basilica there. Remains of saints were parted, even after cremation; ashes, bones and parts of sarcophaguses were eagerly sought, despite the well-established Roman law which forbade such interference in cemeteries; Greek law was not so severe.2 Early martyrs were celebrated on the anniversary of their martyrdom and not on the anniversary of their birth as had been the custom with Roman families. Later the date of the deposition of the relics became the honoured anniversary date." That of SS. Cosmas and Damian appears in the Calendar of Saints as 27 September. It quickly became the custom for perfume and ointments to be poured on the tombs of saints. Holes were made in the cover stones for this purpose and part of the perfume or ointment was carried away as a relic. The cult of the two martyrs, SS. Cosmas and Damian, grew rapidly: it began as early as the fourth century when churches were dedicated to them in Jerusalem, in Egypt and in Mesopotamia. Saints' names were adopted from a desire to venerate and emulate their achievements. According to Theoderet, quoted by Delehaye, the trivial remains of St. Cosmas were dispersed and divided in the fourth century." Both Proclus (A.D. 443-447) and Justinian (Emperor, A.D. 527-565) erected churches to the saints.