Hippocrates, Vol. II (Loeb Classical Library)

INTRODUCTORY ESSAYS

two main categories, and this point having been reached, it was but a step to think that the two might ultimately be resolved into one.

It must also be remembered that the means of treatment available to Hippocrates were few in number. The most he could do was to hinder Nature as little as possible in her efforts to expel a disease, and to assuage pain as far as the limited knowledge of the time permitted. The negative side of medicine was far more prominent than the positive. “To do good, or at least to do no harm,” was the true physician’s ideal. To make the patient warm and comfortable, to keep up their strength by means of simple food without disturbing the digestion, to prevent auto-intoxication from undigested food—this was about all ancient medicine could accomplish, at least on the material side. ¹ The vis medicatrix naturae (the healing power of nature) was the true healer. Whatever the disease, this (so thought Hippocrates) had its chance to operate when hindrances were removed. The psychological aspect of healing was well recognized in ancient times, as we see among other things (inter alia) from the work Precepts, ² See especially Chapter VI (Vol. I, p. 319). and we must take this into account when we estimate the real value of Hippocratic medicine. But here, too, prognosis came in. By telling the past, and by foretelling the future, an effort was made to arouse and to keep alive the patient’s faith in his doctor.