1. Ancient Greece (1500BC-400AD)
Practical ideas!

2. Both of these ideas flourished at the same time
Split Viewpoints !
Supernatural – Cult of Asclepios
Rational/Scientific – Hippocrates
Both of these ideas flourished at the same time
Use the last paragraph on page 21 to summarise this information.

3. Lesson Objectives
To identify the natural theory of medicine during the Greek Period
To explain the key features of the Theory of the 4 Humours
To explain the significance of Hippocrates and evaluate whether his ideas were turning point in medical understanding of disease and infections
To give examples of how Hippocrates’ ideas are still used today, (clinical observation and the Hippocratic oath

4. Still used today although some parts changed e.g.
Hippocratic Oath
Still used today although some parts changed e.g.
– abortion
– teaching others
It makes clear that doctors are not magicians and that they must keep high standards to benefit the ill.

5. His work is important because it shows a clear shift in medicine
Who was Hippocrates?
His work is important because it shows a clear shift in medicine
1) Concentrate on the Patient, not the illness
2) Don’t rely on a theory that can be applied to every case
3) Don’t depend on religious practices

6. 4) Firmly rejected magical causes and cures
5) Doctors should carefully observe each patient and the progress of their illness. CLINICAL OBSERVATION.
6) Doctors should note down symptoms to predict what would happen if another patient caught the disease.

7. 7) Believed in a clear calm environment for patients.
8) Apply natural herbal remedies, but only when sure what was going on.
9) Surgery was a last resort as it was so risky.
10) The Theory of the 4 Humours.

8. Clinical Observation Hippocrates said Doctors should follow 4 steps.
1) Diagnosis – study the symptoms of a patient – how is the patient different from normal?
2) Prognosis – Doctor should try to predict what course the illness will follow, (compare to previous patients with same symptoms
3) Observation – Doctor should continue to observe the patient, noting changes and comparing them to the prognosis.
4) Treatment – Doctor should treat the patient, but only when his observations have confirmed the prognosis and he feels confident about treatment to use based on past experience.

11. The Theory of the 4 Humours
Aristotle – Greek Thinker
Body is made up of 4 liquids, (or humours), blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile
There were also 4 seasons and these humours were connected with the seasons
Aristotle believed that to be healthy, a person needed to keep the humours in perfect balance. Hippocrates developed the idea further !
Used for
1000 years !

12. The theory of the 4 humours seemed to fit with seasonal illnesses – eg
The theory of the 4 humours seemed to fit with seasonal illnesses – eg. colds in the winter = too much phlegm
Doctors therefore had to treat the cause of the disease, NOT the symptom. Eg. Patient who was feverish and hot, probably had too much blood, therefore the solution was to bleed the patient, by cutting open a vein and letting blood out.

13. Your Task!!!
Stick the summary sheet into your book and answer the questions on the A3 sheet about Hippocrates and the four humours!

14. How important was the legacy of Hippocrates?