Yet, after all, here was the germ of the idea of antisepsis.
NEW BEGINNINGS IN GENERAL SCIENCE We have dwelt thus at length on the subject of medical science, because it was chiefly in this field that progress was made in the Western world during the mediaeval period, and because these studies furnished the point of departure for the revival all along the line.

It will be understood, however, from what was stated in the preceding chapter, that the Arabian influences in particular were to some extent making themselves felt along other lines.

The opportunity afforded a portion of the Western world--notably Spain and Sicily--to gain access to the scientific ideas of antiquity through Arabic translations could not fail of influence.

Of like character, and perhaps even more pronounced in degree, was the influence wrought by the Byzantine refugees, who, when Constantinople began to be threatened by the Turks, migrated to the West in considerable numbers, bringing with them a knowledge of Greek literature and a large number of precious works which for centuries had been quite forgotten or absolutely ignored in Italy.

Now Western scholars began to take an interest in the Greek language, which had been utterly neglected since the beginning of the Middle Ages.