The Contributions by Hippocrates To medicine were so important that for many historians he is considered the father of this discipline.
Hippocrates was born on the island of Kos, Greece, approximately between the fourth century and the fifth century BC. He devoted himself to the study of medicine after training in the basic sciences during his adolescence.
Portrait of Hippocrates (1787) - Morgado de Setúbal (Museum of Évora)
He received his medical studies mainly from his father, Heraclides, who was also a recognized physician at the time. He also learned from other doctors at the time, with whom he reinforced what he learned from his father.
In some of the texts referring to Hippocrates, there are descriptions of anatomy, some types of diseases, treatments, among others.
Main contributions of Hippocrates
Transforms medicine into a discipline
Until the fifth century before Christ, medicine was not a discipline fit to be studied. In fact, it was thought that the diseases had a strict relation with superstitions, legends and magic.
The arrival of this Hippocrates drastically changed the look towards medicine, as he raised it more rationally.
He looked away from the legends and began to study the causes of disease. He argued that the diseases that man contracted depended more on the environment, habits and food.
In addition, it implemented techniques and methodologies for the treatment of some diseases, including diagnostics and preventive measures that would mark the beginning of the art of medicine, expanding to different parts of the world.
Some of these approaches and descriptions were rescued and as a whole is now known as the Corpus Hippocratic . It is a compilation where you can find the most important findings for medicine during the fourth and fifth century.
Hippocratic Oath
The creation of the ethical basis of medicine starts from this writing. This oath, attributed to Hippocrates, is a document which describes the principles that a person dedicated to medicine must possess.
Currently in many of the world's medical schools, students of this discipline must take an oath, allusive to this writing, at their graduation ceremony.
Anatomy
Among the different writings rescued of this time some drawings of the human anatomy were discovered. However, this anatomy was based primarily on animals, so there was no detailed knowledge of the human body.
Although the knowledge about the anatomy of the man was scarce, these writings were the first impressions that were related to the human anatomy.
Description of diseases
In the experience gained during his life, and his dedication to medicine, Hippocrates was able to describe many diseases (hemorrhoids, diseases located in the chest, lung diseases, heart disease, among others).
Although some of his descriptions are not exactly accurate, they were a strong basis for making medicine a science.
Surgery
Another of the great contributions to modern medicine was the possibility of surgery. The data collected about this time, indicate that Hippocrates was one of the first surgeons to record.
Despite the time, they are talking about quite adequate methods, taking into account the technological limitations.
Preventive medicine
This was an important part in the writings of Hippocrates. It indicates in them the evolution of certain diseases, describes their symptoms and the possible complications to be able to give a diagnosis.
Also, depending on the diagnosis, the literature describes guidelines for achieving improvement.
Hippocrates also had other aspects relevant to the prognosis of diseases, such as diet and Lifestyle Of the patient.
He considered that the habits and environment in which a person was, influenced the illnesses that he contracted.
Gynecology
On this subject, Hippocrates studies women in different situations. For example, it describes the diseases that come to suffer the virgin women. It describes other states, such as sterility, pregnancy, among others.
References
- National Geographic Spain. Medicine in ancient Greece: the birth of a science. 2017. Retrieved from: nationalgeographic.com.es
- Steven H. Miles. THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH AND THE ETHICS OF MEDICINE. 2005. Retrieved from: books.google.com
- Barry Robson, O. K. Baek. THE ENGINES OF HYPOCRATES: From the Dawn of Medicine to Medical and Pharmaceutical Informatics. 2009. Retrieved from: books.google.com
- Wesley D. Smith. Hippocrates. BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 2017. Retrieved from: britannica.com
- Michael Boylan. Hippocrates (c.450-c.380 B.C.E.). INTERNET ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHILOSOPHY. Retrieved from: iep.utm.edu.