By Υasmin
Who was Hippocrates? The Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates lived from around 460 BC to 375 BC. At the time he was alive, most people thought that disease was a punishment from the gods, but Hippocrates taught that all types of sickness occurred naturally. He created the first intellectual medical school, which earned him the title of the “Father of Medicine”, and it was largely because of him that medicine moved in a much clearer and more scientific direction.
There are around 60 surviving medical documents attributed to Hippocrates today which have been gathered into a collection called the Hippocratic Corpus. Although he did not write all of these documents, they reflect his beliefs and teachings.
The Four Humours The most famous of Hippocrates’ theories is the four humours – or fluids – found in the body. These were blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile, and each one was connected with a different element of nature, two qualities, certain organs and ages. Hippocrates believed that the interactions between the humours, seasons and planets determined the overall health of a person, as well as their personality and mood.
According to Hippocrates, the key to good health was keeping the humours balanced, as he believed that an imbalance would cause sickness. Food was one of the most vital ways to balance the humours and reduce the risk of disease, and Hippocrates famously said, “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. Although the idea of the four humours sounds strange today, it demonstrated the first step away from a paranormal view of sickness, and towards the idea that it is linked to what is happening in the body and its environment.
The Hippocratic Oath The Hippocratic Oath is one of the most well-known Ancient Greek medical texts. It requires new physicians to pledge to uphold high standards of care, both professional and ethical. However, it has been rewritten many times and in many unique ways to suit the values of different cultures which have been influenced by Hippocrates and medicine in Ancient Greece. It is also not required to be sworn in many medical schools as it is often seen as outdated, although some schools use more modern versions that suit society today. In the oath, the physicians swear to prescribe only helpful and beneficial treatments, in keeping with their own ability, knowledge and judgement, to abstain from causing harm and to live a commendable professional and personal life. The ideas that are described in the Hippocratic Oath, although written many years ago, are still relevant and appropriate to the 21st century.
The main difference now is that the oath was originally intended to be a binding agreement, but it is now seen as a promise to uphold the art of medicine and to act in the best interests of the patients.
Contribution to Modern Medicine In conclusion, Hippocrates had a large contribution to modern medicine by understanding and sharing that medicine relies on detailed analytical examination, judgement and reason to present a diagnosis and treatment. He set a pathway for the foundations of medicine today, creating new medical terms and meanings, and rules for the classification of diseases which are now considered vital for the diagnosis, management and prevention of sickness.
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