4 humours

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Why did Greeks have new ideas about medicine?

Even though many had gone to Asclepeia to be healed, many Greeks gradually developed their own theories on why people became ill. Soon enough going to the Asclepeia had become a last resprt as many people began to feel the going to the gods was irrelevent. Greeks began to think that everything, including illnesses, had a natural cause than a celestial one. In addition the Greeks claimed that blaming the gods of causing illness had prevented people from coming up with effective medicine.

The theory of the four humours, a great Greek idea

The Greeks had come up with a new explanation on why people became ill, which didn't state God caused illnesses. The Greek civilization believed there were four liquids in the body:

Phlegm

Blood

Yellow Bile

Black Bile

They called these liquids humours. The greek explanation for illnesses was that if these humours had become unbalanced then you would become ill..

The the theory of the four humours had become the basis of the majority of Greek treatments. This theory had been used for well over 1000 years and this had changed how people were treated.