Περὶ ἀρχαίης ἰατρικῆς

The treatise On Ancient Medicine (Greek: Περὶ Ἀρχαίας Ἰατρικῆς; Latin: De vetere medicina) is a work in the Hippocratic Corpus, a collection of about sixty writings covering all areas of medical thought and practice. Traditionally associated with Hippocrates, (c. 460 BC – c. 370 BC) the father of Western medicine, philological evidence now suggests that it was written over a period of several centuries and stylistically seems to indicate that it was the product of many authors dating from about 450–400 B.C.

Ancient medicine in Greece

The medical practice of Hippocrates used natural aspects to treat diseases. The Hippocratic teachings on the value of knowing a patient's health, independence of thought, and the necessity for balance between the individuals, the social environment, and the natural environment. These foundations of health were incorporated in Ancient Greece to help discover the source of illness and to help promote health.

To maintain health, Ancient Greeks followed the belief that physical and mental health work together. Aristotle believed that the best way to achieve harmony between the mind and body is to participate in sports and gymnastics. It has been suggested that sessions of aerobics, for example walking, will help to boost cognitive attention control in children. Data suggests that exercise improves scholastic performance.

To enhance both physical and mental health, physical movement was an essential component of academic learning. Special services were offered by teachers known as "paidotrivai" during the Olympic Games. According to a study by Hippocrates, olive oil was used to warm up, increase body temperature, and become more flexible, and athletes were given figs as well as other fruits containing high glucose concentrations to help them perform better.

Trauma, therapy and interventions

Up until the Middle Ages, Hippocrates and Galen had quite an impact on surgical treatment procedures for wounds and injuries. For instance, Hippocrates identified the splitting of limb gangrene and treated the ailment by making incisions between the dead and the living tissue. He thought that after treating the wounds with pure water or wine, they needed to be kept dry in order to heal correctly and rapidly. Also, he thought that the development of pus contributed to the decrease of wound complications. These discoveries influenced surgical treatment procedures for wounds and injuries up to the Middle Ages.

The earliest taxonomy of mental illnesses was proposed by Hippocrates, and it included mania, melancholy, phrenitis, insanity, disobedience, paranoia, panic, epilepsy, and hysteria. He held that intellect and sensitivity enter the brain through the lips by breathing and that the brain is the primary organ responsible for mental diseases. He held that the four fluids blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile as well as observation, study of the reasons, balance of theory, and the four liquids themselves form the basis for the diagnosis and treatment of both physical and mental illnesses. According to Plato's view, there are two possible ways to repair the body and the soul. While medicine and gymnastics are seen as legitimate remedies, the legislative and judicial systems are necessary for true soul healing. The betterment of human conduct and the treatment of both mental and physical diseases depended heavily on music and theater. It was thought that using music to heal the spirit also treated the body, along with particular musical treatments for particular illnesses. The first person to use music as treatment to overcome pain was Asclepius. According to Aristotle, religious music that uplifts the spirit has a similar impact on individuals who have undergone therapy and mental catharsis. "Catharsis," or the letting go of emotions via performance, took place in the Theater of Epidaurus in the Ancient Temple of Epidaurus.

On Ancient Medicine

The basic arguments of On Ancient Medicine have three components. In chapters 1–19 the author responds to the supporters of the hypothesis theory of medicine. In so doing he argues that the exploration of medicine itself reveals the human organism as a blend of diverse substances or humors. Having set forth this humoral theory, he then critiques the hypothesis theory proposed by his opponents as being an oversimplified conception of the cause of disease. Against this backdrop, he discusses his own theory and method he employed in its discovery (chaps. 20–24). He then responds to the charge that ancient medicine is not a genuine medical art because it has limited accuracy. These arguments must be seen in the light of the author's theory of human physiology (chaps. 9–12).

Chapters 1–19

The author is responding to the supporters of the hypothesis theory by arguing that medicine has a systematic character to qualify it as a tekhne (art, craft or science). This genuine tekhne depends on the knowledge of the physician attained through first-hand experience that enables him to both distinguish diverse treatments and to realize success in their skillful administration (1). Medicine should not proceed with hypotheses or generalizations; rather it should be rooted in experience and discovery. It should be empirical in its methodology. Hence, in chapter 2 the author argues that medicine's principle and method enables the physician to make discoveries over a long period of time. The discipline must be flexible and receptive to new discoveries. In chapters 3–8, the author supports the claim that medicine has a method of discovery by giving an account of medicine's origins and discoveries. He traces it back to a regimen beneficial for the sick and observes that some foods are not beneficial for either the healthy or the sick.