Hippocrates: The Father of Medicine

Introduction

Hippocrates, often referred to as the father of medicine, was a Greek physician who revolutionized the practice of medicine in ancient Greece. He was born on the island of Kos, Greece, around 460 BC and died in 377 BC in Larissa, Thessaly. He founded the first known intellectual school devoted to teaching the practice of medicine and is widely known for his ethical standards in medical practice, mainly for the Hippocratic Oath, which is still recited by doctors today. Hippocrates' reputation, and myths about his life, began to grow in the Hellenistic period, about a century after his death. Approximately 60 medical documents associated with Hippocrates' name have survived to this day, including the famous Hippocratic Oath.

Early Life and Education

Hippocrates was born into a family of physicians who had produced well-known physicians for generations. He studied medicine with his father and grandfather and was exposed to the medical theories and practices of his time. The medical practices of the time were rooted in superstitions and attributed sickness to the wrath of the gods. Hippocrates rejected these views and believed that all forms of illness had a natural cause. He observed the human body and held the belief that the body must be treated as a whole and not just a series of parts.

Medical Practice

Hippocrates traveled throughout Greece practicing his medicine. He accurately described disease symptoms and was the first physician to accurately describe the symptoms of pneumonia, as well as epilepsy in children. He believed in the natural healing process of rest, a good diet, fresh air, and cleanliness. He noted that there were individual differences in the severity of disease symptoms and that some individuals were better able to cope with their disease and illness than others. He was also the first physician that held the belief that thoughts, ideas, and feelings come from the brain and not the heart as others of his time believed.

The Four Humors

Hippocrates is often credited with developing the theory of the "four humors," or fluids. These four humors were yellow bile, black bile, blood, and phlegm. Each humor was associated with a particular element, two "qualities," certain body organs, and certain ages. The theory of the four humors posits that interactions among the humors, qualities, organs, and ages, as well as the influence of the seasons and planets, determine a person's physical and mental health, as well as their disposition or personality. According to the theory of the four humors, the key to good health was to keep the humors in balance; an excess or deficiency in one or more of the humors was associated with disease. Food was one of the most important ways to help balance the ratio of these humors. In fact, one of Hippocrates' most famous quotes is, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."

The Hippocratic Corpus

Hippocrates' teachings and writings were eventually gathered into a collection known as the Hippocratic Corpus. The Corpus is a collection of about 60 texts, or "books," containing lectures, textbooks, research, cases, and philosophical essays on a variety of medicine-related subjects. Some of the writings are short, like only a paragraph, while others run several volumes. The styles differ widely throughout the collection, supporting the idea that it had several authors. Historians think the texts may be the work of numerous physicians practicing medicine during Hippocrates' lifetime and later. The corpus was ultimately assembled in Alexandria, Egypt, during the third century BC and eventually became the standard reference for up-and-coming physicians throughout the Western world. Many of the teachings were used well into the 19th century.

The Hippocratic Oath

The Hippocratic Oath, often included in the Hippocratic Corpus, is an ancient code of ethics for doctors. Although the oath is widely attributed to Hippocrates, it is still unknown whether he actually wrote it. Today, the oath is valued as more of a historic example of medical ethics and principles rather than one to be taken completely literally. Among the anachronisms in the original oath, physicians swear by the Greek gods and goddesses of health to follow the covenant to the best of their ability. The oath goes on to list some seemingly odd rules for doctors that would be quite difficult to apply in our current day and age. For example, it calls for free tuition for students of medicine, urges physicians to never use the "knife" (surgery) and suggests that they treat their teacher like a parent -- in other words, to regard his children as brothers and to give him money if needed.

Hippocrates' Legacy

Hippocrates' teachings and practices revolutionized medicine in ancient Greece and set the foundation for the practice of medicine as we know it today. His belief in the natural healing process and treating the body as a whole rather than just a series of parts is still relevant today. The Hippocratic Oath, although not taken completely literally, is still recited by doctors today and serves as a reminder of the ethical standards of medical practice. The theory of the four humors may seem strange and unscientific today, but it represented the first step away from the predominantly supernatural view of sickness and a step toward a new idea that illness is related to the environment and what is going on inside the body.

Conclusion

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was a pioneer in the field of medicine and laid the foundation for the practice of medicine as we know it today. His teachings and practices were based on observations and the study of the human body, and he rejected the views of his time that considered illness to be caused by superstitions and by possession of evil spirits and disfavour of the gods. The Hippocratic Oath, which is still recited by doctors today, serves as a reminder of the ethical standards of medical practice. Although some of his theories may seem strange and unscientific today, his belief in the natural healing process and treating the body as a whole rather than just a series of parts is still relevant today. Hippocrates' legacy continues to inspire physicians for millennia to come.