Four Humors in the History of Medicine
Chapter from the book:
Çiçek,
H.
(ed.)
2023.
Health Science Research: Basic Medicine.
Synopsis
The developments in the history of medicine are to understand the past and turn to the future. Examining the adventure of medical developments and having information about their development progresses not only gives the opportunity to compare with today, but also paves the way for new developments. In this respect, it is meaningful to examine the contributions of past civilizations to medicine. Perhaps the most important of these contributions is the Four Humor theory, which we also call the Humoral Pathology theory, which many civilizations have contributed and embraced. This theory, which dates back to the Ancient Greek civilization, has taken place in the medicine of many civilizations, even the Ottoman Empire. This theory of four elements put forward by Empedocles was also adopted and systematized by Aristotle (384-322 BC). This accepted theory has been accepted in the disease-health balance for centuries and its practical ways have been developed. This theory not only remained in the Western world, but also affected many geographies and civilizations. The theory of the Four Humors, which is also important in the Islamic world, has opened the door to many innovations. It played a role in the foundation of many thoughts from medicine to philosophy until the post-Renaissance, when medical developments also accelerated. The Four Humors are also called anasır-ı Erbaa or ahlat-ı Erbaa in the Turkish world.