Hippocratic Medicine

Question 1

What did Hippocrates emphasise?

Answer 1

Rationality and experience - scientific orientation

Question 2

Tradition of care in the Greco-Roman Empire?

Answer 2

Tradition of self-help; female healers; healing shrines (cult of Asclepius)

Question 3

Clinical method

Answer 3

Clinical method of observation - used even today

Question 4

Medical market

Answer 4

Pluralistic medical market - all viewed as healers

Question 5

How is the Hippocratic Corpus unqiue?

Answer 5

Rejection of supernatural causes

Question 6

Influence of Philosophy

Answer 6

Many philosophers seen as healers and consulted as such; theories from philosophers e.g. Pythagorean numbers and maths, Democritus matters vs voids

Question 7

Humoural theory

Answer 7

Four humours; associated with part of the body, season, and weather conditions
Treatment adapted to these aligned symptoms
Exercise, diet etc should change with seasons

Question 8

Surgery?

Answer 8

Some limited surgery available - ‘on head wounds’, ‘on joints’

Question 9

What did the Hippocratic Oath do?

Answer 9

Bind both teacher AND student - taken BEFORE any medical practice allowed
Invoked the Gods

Question 10

How does the Oath portray the doctor?

Answer 10

Philanthropic figure
Not allowed to use the knife
Sliding scale of cost based on wealth of patient
Defines ethics, emphasises patient-based method
Confidentiality
Anti-abortion and euthanasia

Question 11

Pneuma

Answer 11

‘Air’ mediating between the physical and spiritual; in Stoic thought is bridge ebtween internal and extenral world