Medicine - Ancient Times

Question 1

The theory of the four humours

Answer 1

• suggested by Aristotle.
• body made up of 4 humours: blood, phlegm, yellow bile (choker), black bile.
• they need to be in balance for good health.
• treatments to balance them: purging, vomiting, or blood letting.

Question 2

Hippocrates

Answer 2

• Known as the ‘Father of modern medicine’.
• Believed in natural causes of disease, encouraged doctors to treat illness using natural methods.
• Came up with the ‘clinical method of observation’ still used by doctors today. Involves studying a patients symptoms to diagnose their disease illness when treating them.

Question 3

The Hippocrates Corpus

Answer 3

A collection of medical books, some written by Hippocrates or his followers.

Question 4

The Hippocratic Oath

Answer 4

Sets out the moral responsibilities of a physician. Still used today.
Main points:
- the student of medicine will be true to his teacher and profession.
- the physician will only practice medicine for the benefit of the sick.
- physician will keep secrets told by patient.

Question 5

Healthy living- the Ancient Greeks

Answer 5

• they believed that to be healthy you need exercise.
• hygiene is important.
• diet also important: changes with seasons.
  Eat lots in winter, drink little.
  Drink more in the summer, eat less.

Question 6

Public health - the Romans

Answer 6

• Noticed that bad smells, sewage and dirty water made people ill.
• Built aqueducts to carry clean water.
• Built public baths, toilets, and sewers to remove waste.

Question 7

Claudius Galen

Answer 7

• Greek physician.
• Believed in 4 humours.
• Discovered that the brain controls speech.
• Found that arteries carry blood.
• Made mistakes because he only dissected animals.
• Said blood was burned up in muscles rather than circulated.

Question 8

Doctors in ancient times

Answer 8

• too expensive for most people.
• Greek doctors who were captured weren’t trusted.
• Doctors recommended more exercise, change diet or prescribed herbal medicines as opposites.

Question 9

Surgery

Answer 9

• most common surgical treatment was bleeding.
• internal operations were still rare because they were too risky.
• amputations; trephining was used to relieve pain in the head.

Question 10

Roman medicine

Answer 10

Change: good Harvey’s better houses, more food.
Trained doctors in army and towns.
Wider range of herbal medicines.
Fresh water supplies, sewers and baths
Continuities: diseases still spread.
Women treated most health issues, often using herbal remedies and common sense.
Poor didn’t benefit from new public health schemes.