Theory of the Four Humors

Overview

• Important ancient medical idea, influential in the medieval period and beyond.
• Based on ideas from Greek philosophers, especially Aristotle and Hippocrates.
• Used for diagnosing illnesses and suggesting treatments.
• Represents an early scientific approach to understanding health, despite being incorrect.

The Four Humors

• Definition: The body is composed of four liquids (humors) linked to the four elements and seasons.
• Humors:
  • Blood
  • Phlegm
  • Black Bile
  • Yellow Bile

Imbalances

• Balance of humors is essential for health.
• Too much or too little of a humor leads to illness.
• Believed to be related to personality traits.
• Illnesses seemed to correlate with seasons (e.g., colds in winter/spring).

Examples of Symptoms and Treatments

1. Cold:

   • Symptoms: Shivers, lots of phlegm.
   • Diagnosis: Too much phlegm.
   • Treatment: Blow nose, inhale vapors.

2. Rash and Fever:

   • Symptoms: Red skin, high temperature.
   • Diagnosis: Too much blood.
   • Treatment: Bloodletting to restore balance.

3. Constipation:

   • Symptoms: Inability to pass stool.
   • Diagnosis: Too little black bile.
   • Treatment: Laxative foods to induce diarrhea.

Significance

• Represents progress in ancient Greek medicine as a rational explanation for illness.
• Continuity in medieval medicine; treatments based on the four humors persisted for centuries.
• Some practices (like bleeding) continued into the 19th century despite advancements, such as Pasteur's germ theory.

Final Points

• The four humors were: Blood, Black Bile, Yellow Bile, Phlegm.
• Illness was thought to be due to imbalances in these humors.
• Theory was rational but incorrect; treatments addressed symptoms rather than root causes.
• Preventive measures were often based on common sense but could be harmful (e.g., bloodletting).
• The four humors remained a widespread theory for centuries.