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Question- Outline the contributions of Hippocrates in the Advancement of medicine in the Ancient World

Hippocrates (460 BC to 370 BC) is one of history's most famous physicians. He rejected superstition and turned to scientific observations to help classify and cure illnesses. He also gave the world the Hippocratic Oath, which provided physicians of that time as well as physicians today with a code of ethics. Hippocrates has contributed greatly to the advancement of medicine in the Ancient world. These contributions include The Hippocratic Oath, Hippocrates' diagnosis of patients, his medicine devices, Hippocrates' successors and how Hippocrates has influenced modern medicine through his ancient techniques.

Hippocrates has contributed to the medical treatment and the advancement in medicine in the ancient world by delivering the Hippocratic Oath. It involves a potential physician to vow to practice medicine ethically without the intentional harming of the patient. It is taken by doctors in the Ancient World as well as today. This was supposedly written in the late 5th Century BE. It has been debated who has actually authored the Oath. It is believed that Hippocrates or his followers have written it, although there are some historians argue that Pythagoras had written it. It is widely accepted, however, that Hippocrates authored it. The Oath has contributed to the advancement of medicine as it was the first of its kind to make a physician swear to practice medicine ethically and it revolutionized the treatments that doctor's used on their patients. It abandoned medical instruments that caused immense pain on the patient and helped physicians to more accurately diagnosis patients. The Hippocratic Oath is found in the Hippocratic Corpus, a series of over 70 medical documents all credited to Hippocrates.

The Hippocratic Oath (Above)


Hippocrates' diagnosis changed the way that medicine was administrated in the Ancient world. Historians consider that physicians of that time period around the world believed that sickness and diseases was caused by their god's wrath and evil spirits, but Hippocrates developed a theory that sickness and diseases were caused by environmental factors. He created the 'Four Humours' which are the four bodily fluids that correspond to each season; Spring- Blood, Summer- Yellow Bile, Autumn- Black bile and Winter- Phlegm. These were then associated to different qualities. Black bile was cold and dry, Blood was hot and moist, Phlegm was cold and moist and Yellow bile was hot and dry. Using this system of diagnosis, not only did Hippocrates and his followers more accurately diagnose their patients, he changed the views of sickness and the causes of it. More people believed that the environment caused sicknesses, but their religion prohibited them for completely taking in this new concept, as it was their healing god that ‘cured’ them from their illness. The Four Humours are outlined in 'The Nature of Man,' written by an unknown author from Hippocrates time period.

As well as Hippocrates theories on how the body works (4 bodily humours) he also used a number of techniques to help stop the pain of sick patients. Historians have discovered that in Hippocrates time (Ionic Greek period) when patients were sick, they would be carried on stretches up to a temple dedicated to their healing god, Asclepius, and pray that the illness would pass over them. Hippocrates, however, resorted to more physical methods of pain relief for the sick. One example of this is described in the writings of Aristotle which date form the 4Th century BC. It describes a device invented by Hippocrates that applied tension to a patient to aid in the setting of bones. A patient would lie down on a rack and have their arms legs etc tied with ropes. Winches would then pull the ropes apart, correcting any badly healed fractures and straightening any bends in the spine. The patient would have been given an herbal treatment to relieve the pain from this equipment, although the way it was designed had made less pain than other devices that had the same outcome. This was predecessor of devices that are used in modern orthopedics today and has also been used for the foundation of an instrument of torture. Some Modern day devices to relieve pain have been modeled off Hippocrates cleverly thought out ones, and has allowed patients to live better lives.

Through the evidence from the Hippocratic Oath and his techniques outlined the Hippocratic Corpus, Hippocrates was the ideal physician of his time, and contributed to the development of medicine in the ancient world through his successors. His intelligence and compassion for human life has been an inspiration for physicians, especially after his death. He was the most influential on Galen, the last great Greek physician. Under Hippocrates' bodily humours theory, Galen found that the human moods changed as a reaction from the imbalance of the bodily fluids. This allowed them to understand more about the human body, and how it reacted to certain elements. He also promoted the Hippocratic teachings and worked with Hippocrates for a short period of time. Without the influence of Hippocrates and his work, Galen may not have been as successful as he was and his work in other aspects of medicine may have never come about. Herophilos, Paulus Aegineta and Pedanius Dioscorides are all other physicians that have been influenced in one way or another by Hippocrates and his writings. Most of these physicians have written books which show strong influence off Hippocrates teachings.

Hippocrates was one of the key factors in the movement to distinguish superstition from medicine. Without his influences, medicine may still be impacted by evil spirits and many people would die from preventable sicknesses and illnesses. Half of his inventions to help relieve the pain have been the foundations for modern medical instruments and his ideas' and diagnosis have revolutionized medical treatment. Without the input of his great mind, medical advancement would have been a lot slower.

In conclusion, Hippocrates skill and intelligence in the medical area have greatly contributed to the development and the advancement in the Ancient world. He has achieved this through the Hippocratic Oath, Hippocrates' diagnosis of patients, his medicine devices, Hippocrates' successors and how Hippocrates ancient medicine has influenced modern medicine.