WEEK 6 (Medicine in Ancient Greece) Flashcards
What was the importance of Theodor Zwinger?
- 16th century Swiss physician & professor
- First to examine the roots of early medicine and realise that ancient Greeks saw the limitations of healing prayers
- Field of medicine became rooted in natural observation
What was successive about the Greek medicine era?
- Disease no longer regarded as supernatural phenomenon
- Disease approached from a rational, naturalistic and scientific point of view
What were the aspects of Greek culture that had a direct effect on healthcare?
- Greek emphasis on exercise and a well-toned body
- Their response to the geography of the area
- Open-mindedness about all they saw
What exposed the ancient greeks to a wide variety of cultures and many new ideas?
The residents of the loosely bound city-states of Greece were skilled seamen who willingly travelled and traded with the Egyptians and throughout the Mediterranean
What caused the Open-mindedness of Ancient Greeks?
- Openness to change was important
- Democratic ideals of Greece set a tone for questioning and exploring new ideas
- People of many professions were allowed to examine current practices and offer suggestions
Which books provide the earliest information about the practice of Greek medicine?
The Iliad and The Odyssey
What type of information did The Iliad and The Odyssey include?
- Coping with epidemic disease and treating battle wounds
- Insight into the state of medicine
- Insight into the roles played by physicians, surgeons, priests and gods
What are some examples of practical treatments stated in Iliad & Odyssey?
- Sucking the site of the wound to draw out poisons of “evil influence” then cleaning the area with warm water before applying medicines
- Patients given sulphur, saffron oil, opium or just warm water/wine
- After hands-on practical solutions, prayers & incantations used to supplement care
Ailing Greeks were sometimes sent to visit the Temple of what?
Temple of Apollo at Delphi
What would happen when a patient consulted Apollo’s famous oracle?
The oracle would go into a trance to receive the instructions for healing
[In 2001, Scientists discovered Ethylene gas (anaesthetic) may have been released through geological faults beneath where the temple once lay, so the oracle may actually have entered a trancelike state]
Who was Apollo?
god physician and god of prophecy
[he had the capability to send the epidemics & helped doctors find the cure]
Who was Asclepius?
The son of Apollo, a tribal chief and warrior. Asclepius was thought to have inherited his godlike ability to heal from Apollo.
What was the importance of Asclepius’ sons, Asclepiads?
They were physicians from whom all other physicians were said to descend from
What is the Caduceus?
Two snakes intertwined on a winged staff
Who was the Greek god that was the symbol of Medicine and associated with snakes?
Asclepius
[Shedding of snake skin depicts renewal of life and the snake was thought to have provided Asclepius with a precious healing herb]
Who were the daughters of Apollo?
Hygeia & Panacea
Was Humoral theory prevalent in Ancient Greece?
YES
[compared to ancient India though, in Ancient Greece it was 4 humours instead of 3]
Who was the creator of the Humoral theory?
Hippocratus
What was the Greek understanding of disease?
- Disease derived from an inner imbalance and not from outside pathogens
- The key to good health was to maintain a balance of the bodily fluids “the four humours”
- Greek lifestyle valued exercise, good eating habits and cleanliness
What was the job of the physician?
- Observe sickness
- Attend the patient
- Identify symptoms
What was included in diagnosis of a patient?
- A process involving inspection and palpation and the smelling of various fluids to ascertain what was wrong
- Early form of auscultation (listening to the body)
- Succussion
What is Succussion?
A process that involved shaking a patient and listening to the fluids within the body
Was surgery used only as a last resort?
YES
What happened when mild methods did not cause the desired results?
The Greeks considered medicinal drugs
