[p. 299]
OATH
I SWEAR by Apollo Physician, by Asclepius, by
Health, by Panacea and by all the gods and goddesses,
making them my witnesses, that I will carry
out, according to my ability and judgment, this oath
and this indenture. To hold my teacher in this art
equal to my own parents ; to make him partner in
my livelihood ; when he is in need of money to
share mine with him ; to consider his family as my
own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they
want to learn it, without fee or indenture ; to
impart precept, | Apparently the written rules of the art, examples of
which are to be found in several Hippocratie treatises.
These books were not published in the strict sense of the
word, but copies would be circulated among the members of
the " physicians' union." |
oral instruction, and all other
instruction| Probably, in modern English, " instruction, written,
oral
and practical." |
to my own sons, the sons of my
teacher, and to indentured pupils who have taken
the physician's oath, but to nobody else. I will use
treatment to help the sick according to my ability
and judgment, but never with a view to injury and
wrong-doing. Neither will I administer a poison to
anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest
such a course. Similarly I will not give to a woman
a pessary to cause abortion. But I will keep pure
and holy both my life and my art. I will not use
the knife, not even, verily, on sufferers from stone,
but I will give place to such as are craftsmen
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