Hippocrates Collected Works I

Hippocrates Collected Works I
By Hippocrates
Edited by: W. H. S. Jones (trans.)

Cambridge Harvard University Press 1868


Digital Hippocrates Collection Table of Contents



PREFACE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION
   1. Greek Medicine and Hippocrates
   2. The Hippocratic Collection
   3. Means of Dating Hippocratic Works
   4. Plato's References to Hippocrates
   5. THE COMMENTATORS AND OTHER ANCIENT AUTHORITIES.
   Galen
   6. LIFE OF HIPPOCRATES.
   7. THE ASCLEPIADAE.
   8. THE DOCTRINE OF HUMOURS.
   9. CHIEF DISEASES MENTIONED IN THE HIPPOCRATIC COLLECTION.
   10. πολύς AND ὀλίγος IN THE PLURAL.
   11. THE IONIC DIALECT OF THE HIPPOCRATIC COLLECTION.
   12. MANUSCRIPTS.

ANCIENT MEDICINE
   INTRODUCTION
   ANCIENT MEDICINE
   APPENDIX

AIRS WATERS PLACES
   INTRODUCTION
   MSS. AND EDITIONS.
   AIRS WATERS PLACES

EPIDEMICS I AND III
   INTRODUCTION
   EPIDEMICS I
   EPIDEMICS III: THE CHARACTERS
   EPIDEMICS III
   SIXTEEN CASES

THE OATH
   Introduction
   OATH

PRECEPTS
   INTRODUCTION
   PRECEPTS

NUTRIMENT
   INTRODUCTION
   NUTRIMENT


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ANCIENT MEDICINE

ANCIENT MEDICINE

 [p. 63]

ribs broad or narrow, and there are very many other things, the differences between which must all be known, so that knowledge of the causes of each thing may ensure that the proper precautions are taken.


PART 24

XXIV. As I have said before, we must examine the powers of humours, and what the effect of each is upon man, and how they are related to one another. Let me give an example. If a humour that is sweet assumes another form, not by admixture, but by a self-caused change, what will it first become, bitter, or salt, or astringent, or acid? I think acid. Therefore where sweet humour is the least suitable of all, acid humour is the next least suitable to be administered.
Because :--

(1) Health is a crasis of all the humours, none being in excess ;

(2) Sweet humour passes readily into acid ;

(3) Therefore, when sweet is the least suitable as a remedy (there being an excess of it already), acid (which is likely to be reinforced from the sweet) is the next least suitable.

Kéhlewein's text makes sense only if we transpose ὀξύς2 and γλυκύς2. If you want ὀξὺς χυμός1 for crasis you can get it best by adding ὀξύς2, next best by adding γλυκύς, which naturally turns into ὀξύς2.

If a man can in this way conduct with success inquiries outside the human body, he will always be able to select the very best treatment. And the best is always that which is farthest removed from the unsuitable.