PHSC 401 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Dyscrasia, Demonic Possession, Phlegm
2 Feb 2017
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Ancient greece: birth of naturalistic explanations of the world: including health, illness and the body. Ancient greek models are a contrast to the supernatural view of disease: epidemics and pestilence are divine punishment sent by angry gods for sin/disobedience. Ex: genesis, exodus, psalm 91, iliad: demonic possession. 5th century greece: thycydides plague of athens, hippocrates sacred disease, epidemics. Health: balance of humors or fluids in the body: blood, phlegm, yellow, black bile. Balance of qualities: hot, cold, wet, dry. Illness: imbalance of humors/qualities: goal of treatment/prevention: to restore or maintain balance in humors or quantities. Macrocosm: earth, water, air, fire: fire: hot/dry, air: hot/wet, earth: cold/dry, water: cold/wet. Microcosm: four humors: yellow bile, blood, phlegm, black bile. Ill-health: dyscrasia (imbalance: disease as a holistic phenomenon. Important form of balance to hippocratics and galen. Balance of humors and qualities and the balance between the body and the environment: airs, waters, places.
