Sherryl Thomas Nisha Quraishi

Period 6Mental Health

Short History Hippocrates was an ancient Greek physician

of the Age of Pericles, and was considered one of the most outstanding figures in Medicine. He is referred to as the Western Father of medicine in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field as the founder of the Hippocratic School of medicine. Historians accept that Hippocrates was born around the year 460 BC on the Greek island of Kos (Cos), and became a famous physician and teacher of medicine.

Yea History Again He based his medical practice on observations

and the study of the human body. He believed that illness had a physical and a rational explanation. He rejected the views of his time that considered illness to be caused by superstitions and by possession of evil spirits and disfavor of the gods.

Hippocrates held the belief that the body must be treated as a whole and not just a series of parts. He accurately described disease symptoms

Short History Continued

He believed in the natural healing process of rest, a good diet, fresh air and cleanliness. 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 him time believed.

Ancient Greek schools of medicine were split (into the Knidian and Koan) on how to deal with disease. The Knidian school of medicine focused on diagnosis. Medicine at the time of Hippocrates knew almost nothing of human anatomy and physiology because of the Greek taboo forbidding the dissection of humans. The Knidian school consequently failed to distinguish when one disease caused many possible series of symptoms. The Hippocratic school school were more succesful because they applied general Diagnoses. Its focus was on patient care and prognosis, not diagnosis. It could effectively treat diseases and allowed for a great development in clinical practice.

Hippocratic medicine and its philosophy are far removed from that of modern medicine. Now, the physician focuses on specific diagnosis and specialized treatment, both of which were espoused by the Knidian school.

Once AGAIN…..Ancient Greek schools of medicine were split (into the Knidian

and Koan) on how to deal with disease. The Knidian school of medicine focused on diagnosis. Medicine at the time of Hippocrates knew almost nothing of human anatomy and physiology because of the Greek taboo forbidding the dissection of humans. The Knidian school consequently failed to distinguish when one disease caused many possible series of symptoms. The Hippocratic school school were more succesful because they applied general Diagnoses. Its focus was on patient care and prognosis, not diagnosis. It could effectively treat diseases and allowed for a great development in clinical practice.

Hippocratic medicine and its philosophy are far removed from that of modern medicine. Now, the physician focuses on specific diagnosis and specialized treatment, both of which were espoused by the Knidian school.

And Again Another important concept in Hippocratic medicine

was that of a crisis, a point in the progression of disease at which either the illness would begin to triumph and the patient would succumb to death, or the opposite would occur and natural processes would make the patient recover. After a crisis, a relapse might follow, and then another deciding crisis. According to this doctrine, crises tend to occur on critical days, which were supposed to be a fixed time after the contraction of a disease. If a crisis occurred on a day far from a critical day, a relapse might be expected.

Hippocrates

Theory Hippocrates theory was the theory of humourism. This

stated that all illness was the result of an imbalance in the body of the four humours - fluids which in health were naturally equal in proportion. When the four humours, blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm, were not in balance a person would become sick and remain that way until the balance was somehow restored. Hippocratic therapy was directed towards restoring this balance.

The humoral theory was adopted by Greek, Roman and Islamic physicians, and viewed as an aspect of the human body among European physicians the nineteenth century.

TheoryAnother important concept in Hippocratic medicine

was that of a crisis, a point in the progression of disease at which either the illness would begin to triumph and the patient would succumb to death, or the opposite would occur and natural processes would make the patient recover. After a crisis, a relapse might follow, and then another deciding crisis. According to this doctrine, crises tend to occur on critical days, which were supposed to be a fixed time after the contraction of a disease. If a crisis occurred on a day far from a critical day, a relapse might be expected.

Accepted?It was important because it was the first widespread natural explanation for disease and so can be seen as a turning point in the history of medicine. It lead the way for natural cures and treatments. It also led to examination of lifestyle and a healthy environment.

He attempted to separate the discipline of medicine from He separated the discipline of medicine from religion, believing and arguing that disease was not a punishment inflicted by the gods but rather the product of environmental factors, diet, and living habits.

The theory was accepted, but did not fully wash out the roles of religion that played within. These ideas co-existed with the Theory of the Four Humours.

We Believe……. That the theory was a very good one for the era

that Hippocrates lived in. During that age when people believed that illness was a punishment form gods and goddesses it is an astonishment that a man could come up with this sort of theory.

But according to our medical knowledge at this time and era, the theory would not have been accepted. We know now that the illness comes from bacteria and germs not an imbalance of Fluid. Modern medicine has shoved aside the ideas and beliefs that were held by Hippocrates.

Bibliography http://learnhistory.org.uk/forum/

viewtopic.php?f=68&p=831 http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/Museum/

hippoc.html http://schoolshistory.org.uk/fourhumours.htm http://www.search.com/reference/Humorism