Medicine: Its History and Folklore
Medicine: Its History and Folklore People have always been concerned with their health. Everyone, at some time, knows the frustration, inconvenience, fear, and pain that come with illness. Many years ago, injury and disease were attributed to possession by an evil spirit, a disturbance in the natural balance of physical and chemical forces, or the anger of the gods. Throughout history, there have been countless techniques to prevent and cure illness and preserve health. Magic and prayer, heating and cooling, cutting and burning, potions and foods have all been used. All of these, as well as modern science, comprise the field of medicine. The legendary father of medicine, a man named Hippocrates, was born in Greece in 460 B.C. His medical observations became well-known in the Western world and physicians are still required to take the Hippocratic Oath and practice their profession according to its principles. Hippocrates was not the first to make medical discoveries wo...