The Four Humours

  • The Theory of the Four Humours was that four bodily fluids (humours) control physical and mental health, giving the Four Temperaments.
  • This theory was believed by the ancient Greeks, the Ancient Romans, and during the Medieval period right up to the 1800’s, when it was finally disproved.

Theory of Humours

  • Originally put forward by Empedocles of Akragas (c.492-432 BCE) and subsequently confirmed by Hippocrates of Cos (c.460-370 BCE).
  • The Theory of Humours was that Four bodily fluids (Humours) control the physical and mental health of a person, giving the Four Temperaments.
  • Hippocrates established a Procedure for healing Patients.
    1. Diagnosis:
      • Defining which of the Humours was producing the patient’s illness.
    2. ‘Reading’ a Patient’s character:
      • This was done by the Physician lightly placing his hands on the patient’s abdomen (stomach area), to check the balance of the Humours.
    3. Cure:
      • Restoration of the equilibrium of the Humours. Herbs were central to this restoration of the equilibrium.
      • Also purges and emetics. but this was not easy to achieve; other factors interfered, such as the patient’s sex, age, diet, the weather and the time of the year (winter or summer).
    4. A balanced diet:
      • This was recommended with no eating or drinking to excess. Food was associated with each of the Four Humours, so foods and beverages associated with the opposite quality were given
    5. Applying the opposite quality:
      • Fever and sweating were associated with being warm and moist, so the patient would be given substances associated with being cold and dry.
  • The Four Humours and the Four Temperaments:
    1. Blood
      • Temperament: Sanguine.
        • Too much courage, optimism and over amorous (over sanguine) due to an excess of blood in the system.
      • Earth element: air
      • Organ: liver
      • Season: spring.
        • It was believed blood dominated in the Spring and Summer causing sickness and vomiting.
      • Quality: warm and moist
      • Cure: bleeding.
    2. Phlegm
      • Temperament: Phlegmatic:
        • Calm, unexcitable or unemotional people dominated by phlegm.
      • Earth element: water
      • Organ: brain and lungs
      • Season: winter.
        • It was thought to accumulate during the chilly winter causing sore throats and colds.
      • Quality: cold and moist
    3. Yellow Bile
      • Temperament: Choleric:
        • Excess yellow bile made a person easily angered and bad-tempered, yellow-faced, lean and hairy.
      • Earth element: fire
      • Organ: spleen
      • Season: summer
      • Quality: warm and dry
    4. Black Bile
      • Temperament: Melancholic:
        • An excess of black bile made a person gloomy, despondent, sleepless and irritable.
      • Earth element: earth
      • Organ: gall bladder
      • Season: autumn
      • Quality: cold and dry
      • Cure: sweat out the black bile.

 

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