Hippocrates

Hippocrates was born on the island of Kos c. 460 BC and died in 377 BC. He was a famous ancient Greek physician and he’s referred to as “the father of medicine”. He was the leader of a medical school of Kos and the author of most of the writings of the school. His work and writings laid the foundations of medicine as a brand of science by rejected the superstition and magic of primitive “medicine”.

Hippocrates identified personality traits with four humours in the body: phlegm, yellow bile, black bile, and blood. The best known of the Hippocratic writings is the Hippocratic Oath.  Another famous, time-honored medical rule ascribed to Hippocrates is Primum non nocere (First, do no harm).

What is Hippocrates known for? 

Hippocrates is mostly known for the Hippocratic oath.

It is one of the most widely known of Greek medical texts and is historically taken by physicians. The original Hippocratic oath requires a new physician to swear to uphold specific ethical standards when treating patients. The Hippocratic oath is the earliest expression of medical ethics in the Western world, establishing many principles of medical ethics that remain of extreme significance to this. These include the principles of medical confidentiality and non-maleficence. As the seminal articulation of certain principles that continue to guide and inform medical practice, the ancient text is of more than historic and symbolic value. Swearing a modified form of the oath remains a rite of passage for medical graduates in many countries.

The original Hippocratic oath was written in Ionic Greek, between the fifth and third centuries BC. It is usually included in the Hippocratic Corpus.