Greek and Roman Medicine Exam 2

teleology

• the philosophical concept that natural processes are directed towards a specific purpose or end goal (understanding the body’s function sin terms of their intended purpose)

• focuses on the “why” instead of just the “how”

• influenced ancient medical thought, suggesting that diseases disrupt the body’s natural purpose

herophilus

• ancient Greek physician and anatomist who lived in Alexandria during the Hellenistic period and is considered one of the founders of anatomy

• performed public dissections

• made significant discoveries about the nervous system, brain, and circulatory system

• distinguished between arteries and veins

• wrote fragments of his anatomical works

Erasistratus

• prominent Greek physician and anatomist from Alexandria

• practiced dissections

• believed that diseases arose from plethora (excess of blood)

• studied the heart and its valves

• wrote fragments of his physiological theories

vivisection

the practice of performing surgical operations on live animals for experimental purposes

Alexandria

• major center of learning and culture in the Hellenistic world, particularly renowned for its library and medical school

• provided a unique environment for anatomical research due to royal patronage and access to human bodies

causality

• the principle that events occur due to specific causes; understanding the causes of diseases is crucial for diagnosis and treatment

• moving away from supernatural explanations of illness

• focus on natural causes such as diet, environment, and lifestyle

semiotic

• the study of signs and symbols and their interpretation; refers to the interpretation of symptoms as signs of underlying disease

• physicians used it to diagnose illnesses based on observable signs

• hippocratic medicine heaviliy relied on it

Archagathus

• one of the first Greek physicians to practice in Rome

• known for his surgical skills but gained a reputation for being harsh and using painful procedures

• marked the beginning of Greek medical influence in Rome

ontological conception of disease

views disease as being a separate entity invading the body (an external “thing)

physiological conception of disease

views disease as a result of imbalances within the body’s systems (disruption of normal bodily functions)

valetudinarium

• a roman military hospital

• provided care for sick and wounded soldiers

• showed the roman army’s commitment to medical care

philosophical principles of scientific experiment

• observation

• rationalism

• empiricism

• causality

• skepticism

observation

careful and systematic observation of natural phenomena

rationalism

using reason and logic to understand the world

empiricism

relying on sensory experience and experimentation

skepticism

questioning assumptions and seeking evidence

descriptive characteristics of Herophilus’ Pulse

• size

• frequency

• rhythm

• force

medical sects

• dogmatists

• empiricists

• methodists

dogmatists (rationalists)

• emphasized the importance of anatomical knowledge and theoretical understanding

• believed in discovering the hidden causes of diseases

empiricists

• focused on practical experience and observation

• rejected the need for anatomical knowledge or theoretical speculation

• relied on tried-and-true remedies

methodists

• proposed a simplified system of medicine based on commonalities among diseases

• believed that diseases were caused by either constriction or relaxation of bodily passages

discordes’ sources for pharmacological knowledge

• personal observation

• indigenous knowledge

• written sources

• experimentation

personal observation

direct observation of plants and their effects

indigenous knowledge

information gathered from local healers and herbalists

written sources

existing medical and botanical texts

experimentation

testing the effects of plants on Discorides himself and others

advances in surgery under the roman empire

• surgical instruments

• wound management

• amputation

• military surgery

• specialized surgery

Galen’s 6 non-naturals

• air and environment

• food and drink

• exercise and rest

• sleep and wakefulness

• evacuation and retention

• passions of the mind

air and environment

the quality of air and the surrounding environment

food and drink

diet and nutrition

exercise and rest

physical activity and sleep

sleep and wakefulness

proper sleep patterns

evacuation and retention

proper elimination of waste

passions of the mind

emotional state and mental well-being

Galen’s hierarchies and bodily systems

• natural faculty

• vital faculty

• animal faculty

• bodily systems

natural faculty

responsible for nutrition and growth; centered in the liver

vital faculty

responsible for heat and respiration; centered in the heart

animal faculty

responsible for sensation and movement; centered in the brain

bodily systems

• arteries

• veins

• nerves

arteries

carry vital spirit (pneuma)

veins

carry natural spirit

nerves

carry animal spirit

Galen’s therapeutic advances on Hippocrates

• emphasis on anatomy

• pharmacology

• physiology

• systematic approach

emphasis on anatomy

Galen’s detailed anatomical knowledge allowed for more precise diagnoses and treatments

pharmacology

expanded the use of herbal remedies and developed more complex formulations

physiology

developed a more sophisticated understanding of bodily functions

systematic approach

created a comprehensive system of medicine that integrated anatomy, physiology, and therapeutics

ancient medical authors

1. Hippocrates (460-370)

2. Aristotle (384-322)

3. Herophilus (335-280)

4. Erasistratus (304-250)

5. Dioscorides (40-90 AD)

6. Celsus (25 BC-50 AD)

7. Galen (129-216 AD)

Celsus

wrote De Medicina (On Medicine)

Dioscorides

wrote De Materia Medica (On Medical Materials)

Hippocrates

wrote:

• On Prognosis

• Art of Medicine

• That the Best Doctor is Also a Philosopher

• Sacred Disease

• Advice to an Epileptic Child

Galen

wrote Method of Healing and Treatment by Venesection

Why Herophilus and Erasistratus undertook the first scientific anatomical investigations

• royal patronage

• intellectual climate

• desire for knowledge

royal patronage

the Ptolemaic rulers of Alexandria supported scientific research and provided access to human bodies for dissections

intellectual climate

Alexandria was a center of learning and innovation, fostering a spirit of inquiry

desire for knowledge

Herophilus and Erasistratus were driven by genuine desire to understand the structure and function of the human body

Greek Medicine

• based on rationalism, observation, and natural explanations

• emphasized the importance of anatomy and physiology

• developed a sophisticated system of diagnosis and treatment

Native Roman Medicine

• more practical and focused on folk remedies and religious practices

• less emphasis on theoretical knowledge

• often relied on magic and superstition

changes to greek medical knowledge due to expansion and trade of roman empire

• dissemination of knowledge

• integration of new remedies

• development of public health

• standardization of medical practice

dissemination of knowledge

Greek medical texts and practices spread throughout the Roman Empire

integration of new remedies

Roman physicians incorporated new medicinal plants and techniques from conquered territories

development of public health

the Roman Empire invested in public health infrastructure, such as aqueducts and hospitals

standardization of medical practices

the Roman Empire promoted a more standardized approach to medical education and practice

how Galen showed his anatomical knowledge

• dissections

• writings

• vivisections

• reconstructions

dissections (Galen)

performed public dissections of animals (mainly barbary apes)

writings (Galen)

wrote detailed descriptions of anatomical structures and their functions

vivisections (Galen)

used vivisections to study the function of organs and systems

reconstructions (Galen)

used his anatomical knowledge to reconstruct damaged or diseased organs

medical thought shared between Hippocrates’ and Galen‘s texts

• natural explanation

• brain as the source

• importance of diet and lifestyle

• holisitic approach

natural explanation

both texts reject supernatural explanations for epilepsy, attributing it to natural causes

brain as the source

both texts identify the brain as the organ responsible for epilepsy

importance of diet and lifestyle

both texts emphasize the role of diet and lifestyle in managing epilespy

holistic approach

both texts advocate for a holistic approach to treatment, considering the patient’s overall health and well-being