Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece

Asclepius and the Asclepion
1. Asclepius (Asklepios) was the Greek god of healing.
2. He had two daughters, called Panacea and Hygeia who helped him cure the sick.
3. Temples dedicated to Asclepius were called Asclepions.
4. Greeks would visit the temple and make offerings to Asclepius. They would then spend the night in the temple, when they believed they were visited by the god and his daughters who cured them.
5. The temple was surrounded by other buildings that encourage good personal health
  1. Bath house
  2. Stadium
  3. Gymnasium
6. The temple served as an escape from stress.
7. The priests did treat people with natural remedies.
8. A lot of people were cured due to faith healing. People visiting the temple believed in Asclepius' power, and this cured them!
Hippocrates
1. The Hippocratic Oath
  1. Still used today. It sets out high standards of treatment and behaviour that doctors must adhere to. They must work for the benefit of patients, rather than to make themselves rich.
2. Hippocratic Collection
  1. A collection of books, used for centuries by other doctors. This collection contained the first detailed list of treatments and symptoms.
3. Observing and Recording.
  1. Hippocrates showed doctors how important it was to observe and record symptoms. It meant future doctors could chose the right cure and also diagnose and treat future patients more effectively.
4. Causes of diseases
  1. Developed the theory of the four humours.
5. Natural treatments
  1. Hippocrates encouraged people to look for natural cures, rather than asking the Gods.
The Four Humours
1. Phlegm
  1. Water/Winter
2. Blood
  1. Air/Spring
3. Yellow Bile
  1. Fire/Summer
4. Black Bile
  1. Earth/Autumn
5. Greeks believed that all people had four humours in them. They thought that a person became sick when these humours were out of balance.
6. Each humour was linked with one of the four elements, and one of the four seasons. This was because doctors noticed in winter more people suffered from runny noses, an excess of phlegm.
7. This theory lasted for over 1000 years.
Who treated the sick, and how?
1. Doctors
  1. Observe, record, diagnosis,prognosis.
  2. Balance the humours, via bleeding, purging or making the patient vomit.
  3. Surgery - Doctors had beeter tools, and cut set bones and in extreme cases amputate limbs. Very few operations took place in the body, the one exception was the draining of the lungs.
  4. Basic antispetics used, such as washing wounds with wine and vinegar.
2. Family members, especially women.

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	Created by James Enderby about 9 years ago