G'dday. Extracted from a post I lodged elsewhere.
<grin> And out of interest, I've been re-reading the Hyppocrates' Writings again. It's been fascinating - I'd forgotten just how much so. I look at the epidemic of mumps which is acknowledged spread outwards through his community from the local gymnasium, various outbreaks of enteric fever and something that may have been cholera, influenza and pneumonia, and I was surprised at some of the success-rates. Wine in various dilutions is often prescribed as a cure - in some cases where delerium, heavy sweating and tremours have taken hold, wine is prescribed because it allays them - in heavy drinkers. Exactly the people who shouldn't be treated with wine. In cases of "fever" which from the described symptoms look awfully like kidney infections, he prescribes the withholding of water until thirst returns, while today a non-thirsty patient would be strongly encouraged to drink water. Coughing up of blood in tubercular patients is seen as a positive sign (the body getting rid of the illness). Vomiting or passing blood in urine or faeces is also seen as a positive, as a cleansing thing. He records lots of patients dying. He also records lots of patients surviving! He had a knowledge of malignant tumours. If I broke a forearm and someone tried to treat it in accordance with Hypocratic texts without anaesthetic, I'd scream blue murder, and there's an assumption that in the cases of most fractures, skin abscesses and internal and external infections set in - hardly surprising, really. Hyppocrates and the other writers who may have contributed (including his son-in-law and student, Polybus) were not GPs as we know them today - more a combination of GPs and medical research scientists. Many times reference is made to what the future will know about conditions and cures. Many times reference is made to the limit of medical knowledge increasing only limited by the skill of future researchers. He never once blamed the gods for illness, and abjured strongly any "quacks" who used prayers or charms as a part of their cures. We owe him everything. (Just wanted an excuse to talk about it). Nisaba000 _________________________________________________________________ Advertisement: It's simple! Sell your car for just $20 at carsales.com.au http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fsecure%2Dau%2Eimrworldwide%2Ecom%2Fcgi%2Dbin%2Fa%2Fci%5F450304%2Fet%5F2%2Fcg%5F801577%2Fpi%5F1005244%2Fai%5F838588&_t=757768878&_r=endtext_simple&_m=EXT Have you told a friend today? http://bookcrossing.com/tellafriend Archives and email list settings: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
