In the time of Galen, one of the notables of Alexandria was attacked by pain in the finger-tips, and suffered great restlessness, being debarred from all repose. They informed Galen, who prescribed an unguent to be applied to his shoulders. As soon as they did this he was cured. Then they questioned Galen, saying, “What was [the rationale of] this treatment which thou didst adopt?” He replied: “This, that the source of a pain which attacks the finger­tips is the shoulder. I treated the root so that the branch might be cured.”