Galen and Hippocrates: Key Influences on Medical Theory

Empiricism: The importance of observation and experience was highlighted, promoting a data-driven approach to medical understanding.
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Humoral Theory: Doctors like Hippocrates believed individuals possess four humors – blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. Galen further developed that idea emphasizing imbalances causing illnesses, requiring rebalancing.
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Physiology and Function: He adopted Hippocrates's idea of “pneuma,” associating functions like respiration, sensation, movement with pneuma, which was airlike lifegiving substance
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Treatment Regimens: Treatments involved diet adjustments, drugs, bloodletting, purging to correct humoral imbalances. Galen systematized these to guide therapy
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Prognosis: Assessing symptoms with diagnosis and making predictions or forecasts is essential. Galen expanded prognostic signs, offering guidelines.
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Surgical Techniques: Ancient doctors performed basic surgeries. Galen documented these practices, improving techniques.