Hippocrates: Father of Medicine

The reader is given a concept of the life and times when Hippocrates lived.

The professions and trades during Hippocrates' time are described as well as the early education of youth in ancient Greece. Medicines were not based on science but on driving evil spirits from the body. Hippocrates' scientific approach to the study and treatment of disease has deservedly earned him the title "Father of Medicine". He was born on the island of Cos in 460 B.C., and his works remained for centuries the foundation of medical and biographical knowledge. In addition, it was Hippocrates' daring approach to the problems of sickness and disease that drove the opening wedge into the wall of fear that surrounded human ills. Hippocrates' scrupulous attention to professional ethics is honored even to this day by the medical oath that bears his name-"The Hippocratic Oath"."Desperate diseases need desperate remedies" and "One man's meat is another man's poison"-these well-known sayings by Hippocrates were a direct attack on human suffering. Hippocrates also wrote books on epidemics and stressed the importance of diet in combating them.

About The Author:
Herbert S. Goldberg was born in New York City and is a Professor Emeritus and Associate Dean Emeritus of the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He has long been interested in bringing knowledge of biology and medicine to the public. He has accomplished this by writing on a variety of medical subjects as well as lecturing in this country and abroad. He has also served on advisory committees of the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization.