Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 10.djvu/109

HIPPOCRATES. 93 HIPPOCEENE. ascribes to this influence both the conformation of the body and the disposition of the mind, and lionce accounts for the difference between the Greet: and the Asiatic. The four fluids or liumors of the body (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile) were regarde-l by him as the primary seats of disease; health was the result ' of the due combination (or crasis) of these, and illness was the consequence of a disturbance of this crasis. When a disease was proceeding fa- vorably, these humors underwent a certain change (or cuclion), which was the sign of returning health, as preparing the way for the expulsion of morbid matter, or crisis, these crises having a tendency to occur at definite periods, which were hence called 'critical days.' His treatment of diseases was cautious, and what we now term expectant; it consisted chiefly and solely in at- tention to diet and regimen. Thus he was the inventor of the humoral pathologj-, so long in vogue in medical schools. He must be judged by the standards of his day. A most careful and keen observer and exact chronicler of symptoms, he was also possessor of a remarkable mental equipment and a man of great nobility and morality. The works of Hippocrates were translated at an early period into Arabic. They were first printed in a Latin translation in 1525 at Rome, Galen's commentaries on his works being of special value. The first Greek edition (the Aldine) appeared the following year at Venice; an edition by Mercurialis appeared in 1588, one by Foesius in 1595. and one by Van der Linden (still much esteemed) in 1665. An edition under the editorship of Kuhn appeared in three vol- umes at Leipzig, in 18'25-27. The best French edition is that of Littre, in 10 volumes, the first of which appeared in 1839, and the last in 1861. An excellent English translation of The flenuine Works of Hippocrates was published in 1849 in 2 vols, by Dr. .danis. HIPPOCRATES " OF CHIOS, kl'os (c.450 B.C.). A Greek geometer, possibly related to the family of the celebrated physician. His early life was devoted to maritime commerce, and the seizure of a vessel by the Athenian customs called him (c.430) to Athens to obtain redress. Failing in his mission, he betook himself to the study of philosophy and to teaching geometry. He wrote the first elementary text-book on geometry, but is known especially for the quadrature of certain LCNEB OF BIPPOCEATEP. figures which are commonly called the lunes of Hippocrates. This is the first known instance of the quadrature of a curvilinear figure. One of the propositions in its simplest form asserts that if semicircles be described upon the three sides of an isosceles triangle, as shown in the accompany- ing figure, the area of the triangle equals the sum of the areas of the lunes — i.e. T = A + B = 2A. It is easily proved that T = A + B even if the triangle is not isosceles. These propositions on the lunes are further interesting as being the old- est extant specimens of geometric proofs by rea- soning. Hippocrates al.so attempted the problem of du- plicating the cube, and reduced it to that of finding two means between one line and another of double its length. He is also credited by Proclus with inventing the process of geometric reduction, con- sisting in passing from one proposition to an- other, which being mastered, the one proposed necessarily follows. Consult: Tannery, "Hip- pocrate ilc Chios et la (juadraturc des "lunulcs," in the Mcnioires dc Bordeaux (1878). HIPPOCRATIC OATH. An oath taken by young men in the early days on entering upon the practice of medicine. In ancient times the oath was ascribed to Hippocrates, and is prob- ably authentic. It runs as follows: "I swear by Apollo, thej physician, by .feeulapius, by Hygieia, Panacea, and all the gods and goddesses, that according to my ability and judgment I will keep this oath and stipulation : to reckon him who teaches me this art equally dear with my parents ; to share my substance with him and to relieve his necessities if required: to look uix)n his offspring upon the same footing as my own brothers ; and to teach them this art if they shall wi.sh to learn it, without fee or stipula- tion; and that by precept, lecture, and by every other mode of instruction I will impart a knowl- edge of this art to my own sons, to those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath, according to the law of medicine, but to no others. I will follow that system of regi- men which, according to my best judgment, 1 consider best for my patients, and abstain from whatever is injurious. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel. Furthermore, I will not give to a woman an instrument to procure abortion. Yith purity and holiness will I pass my life and practice my art. I will not cut a person who is suffering with stone, but will leave this to be done by those who are practitioners of such work. Into whatever houses I enter I will go for the advantage of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption, and, further, from the seduction of females or males, bond or free. Whatever in connection with my professional practice, or not in connec- 'tion with it, I may see or hear, 1 will not di- vulge, holding that all such things should be kept secret. While I continue to keep this oath inviolate, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of my art, respect<'d always by all men ; but should I break through and violate this oath, may the reverse be my lot." It is said that a similar oath was used in the Middle Ages, after the discontinuance of the use of the Hip- pocratic oath. Some medical colleges of to-day impose a simpler obligation in the form of an admonition and an affirmation, to which the graduating class assents. HIPPOCRENE, hlp'pA-kre'nS (Lat., from Gk. "IvTroKp-litnt, Ilippokrrne, from finros, hippos, horse -f- Kpii'Tt, krfnf; spring) . A foimtain on -Mount Helicon, about 20 stadia above the Grove of the Muses, and. according to the mythical account, produced by a stroke from the hoof of the horse Pegasus (q.v.). It was sacred to the Muses. It is probably to be identified with the Kruopcgadi ('cold spring"), on the north side of the southeast peak of Mount Helicon. See Helicon.