Hippocrates, the Greek physician; He lived between 460 BC and 375 BC. Hippocrates, the son of a physician father, was born on the Greek island of Kos. He became a pioneer in the field of medicine with his scientific observations and studies. The four Humor theories, the Hippocratic oath, the Hippocratic Corpus collection are important sources Hippocrates left in the field of medicine.
diseases of people; At a time when he was tired of superstition and the wrath of the gods, he scientifically revealed that all diseases have a natural cause. He based his studies on observation and transformed the subject of medicine into science and art. Hippocrates founded the first medical school devoted to learning and teaching medical science. For this reason, Hippocrates is considered the “Father of Medicine”.
About 60 surviving medical works, including the famous Hippocratic oath, are associated with Hippocrates. These works were brought together in a collection called the Hippocratic Corpus. Even if not all of the works were written by Hippocrates, it is known that they are a reflection of Hippocrates’ philosophy. With Hippocrates, medical practices gained a new method, thus a more scientific and rational view of medicine emerged.
Hippocrates was the first to describe the symptoms of diseases such as epilepsy and pneumonia. By changing the idea that feelings and thoughts originate from the heart, he introduced the idea that these emotions originate in the brain. Meno, one of Aristotle’s students, made special mention of Hippocrates’ various views on the cause of diseases in the history of medicine he wrote. The information conveyed by Menon, Hippocrates’ basic theory of illness is as follows; It is believed that due to malnutrition, some indigestible wastes produce steam and they cannot be removed from the body and cause many diseases.
Hippocrates’ Four Humor Theory
According to the theory developed by Hippocrates, it is accepted that there are 4 vital fluids. All of these liquids are called “Humor”, which means liquid in Latin. It is thought that Aristotle and Galen also contributed to the development of this theory. These vital fluids; yellow bile, black bile, blood and phlegm.
each liquid; It is associated with the elements (earth, water, air, fire), certain properties (cold, hot, wet, dry), some organs and some ages. These liquids; In addition to the effect of the seasons and planets, it also causes interactions between organs and ages. These interactions determine the physical and mental health of the person. In addition, fluids affect the temperament and personality of the person. Differences arising from age, gender, emotions and temperament; due to the interaction of liquids with each other.
While heat leads to movement, cold suppresses it. While people with an easily angered temperament act courageously, people with a disinterested temperament act cowardly. Youth is a warm and wet period, while old age is a cold and dry period. According to this theory, the key to health is keeping fluids in balance. The most important way to keep fluids in balance is Hippocrates’ most famous saying; It is the saying “Let food be your medicine, and your medicine be food”.
What Is The Famous Hippocratic Oath?
During the time of Hippocrates; Young physicians took the Hippocratic oath while being accepted into the guilds. This oath is still valid today. In the old Hippocratic oath; While taking an oath in the name of Asklepios, who is accepted as the god of medicine, today it is sworn on sacred beliefs.
The Hippocratic oath, which is also included in the Hippocratic Corpus, is an ancient moral code. Although this oath is commonly attributed to Hippocrates, it is not known exactly whether it was actually written by Hippocrates. The Hippocratic oath taken today is not just an oath, but is considered a historical example of medical ethics and principles.
Physicians in the original Hippocratic oath; They swore to the Greek gods and goddesses of health that they would stick to this oath to the best of their ability. In the Hippocratic oath; There are some rules that are difficult to apply by today’s physicians. For instance; There are rules such as not being charged tuition fees from medical students, never using knives by physicians, treating their teachers as if they were their own family, recognizing their teacher as their father and sharing their sustenance with him.
Today, most of the doctors take the Hippocratic oath; thinks that it is insufficient in dealing with today’s economic, political and social problems. However, some principles of this oath are still considered important by doctors. Some of those; These are the principles of treating the patient as best they can, avoiding harm and injustice, protecting patient privacy and teaching the secrets of medicine to future generations.
Hippocratic Corpus Collection
Hippocratic Corpus; It constitutes a series of medical works written on medical subjects. It is thought to be the oldest medical artifacts that have survived to the present day. It is a collection of approximately 60 texts and books, including notes, textbooks, research, cases and philosophical articles on medicine. Historians of these works; He thinks that it was written by many physicians who practiced medicine during and after Hippocrates lived. The works were brought together in Alexandria, Egypt, in the 3rd century BC. It has become a standard reference source by all physicians. Many of the teachings mentioned in the works were widely used in the 19th century.
