Who Was Hippocrates?

Hippocrates was the father of medicine. He was a physician that produced numerous works that based the practice and theory of medicine upon scientific observations and the reporting of those observations. The Hippocratic Corpus shows us an understanding of the workings of the human body. Exact records of observations and conclusions that there were certain morbid signs indicating particular diseases are in his works. He realized that these morbid signs ran their course and led to either death or recovery. He also recognized that the patient could aid in his own recovery by altering his lifestyle. This still proves true today when we consider that behaviors are the major contributing factor to the number one killer in society, which is heart disease. Hippocrates’ greatest importance in the history of medicine may have been his influence upon a later writer named Galen. **** More health science lessons by CIP coming soon! to learn more visit