Hippocrates Quotes

79 Sourced Quotes

As to diseases, make a habit of two things — to help, or at least, to do no harm.

Hippocrates
The human body contains blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. These are the things that make up its constitution and cause its pain and health. Health is primarily that state in which these constituent substances are in the correct proportion to each other, both in strength and quantity, and are well mixed.

Hippocrates
Keep a watch also on the faults of the patients, which often make them lie about the taking of things prescribed.

Hippocrates
And if incision of the temple is made on the left, spasm seizes the parts on the right, while if the incision is on the right, spasm seizes the parts on the left.

Hippocrates
I will not use the knife, not even, verily, on sufferers from stone but I will give place to such as are craftsmen therein.

Hippocrates
Let us inquire then regarding what is admitted to be Medicine; namely, that which was invented for the sake of the sick, which possesses a name and practitioners.

Hippocrates
Whoever is to acquire a competent knowledge of medicine, ought to be possessed of the following advantages: a natural disposition; instructionl a favorable place for the study; early tuition, love of labor; leisure.

Hippocrates
Science is the father of knowledge, but opinion breeds ignorance.

Hippocrates
Medicine is of all the Arts the most noble; but, owing to the ignorance of those who practice it, and of those who, inconsiderately, form a judgment of them, it is at present far behind all the other arts. Their mistake appears to me to arise principally from this, that in the cities there is no punishment connected with the practice of medicine (and with it alone) except disgrace, and that does not hurt those who are familiar with it. Such persons are like the figures which are introduced in tragedies, for as they have the shape, and dress, and personal appearance of an actor, but are not actors, so also physicians are many in title but very few in reality.

Hippocrates
Those diseases which medicines do not cure, iron cures; those which iron cannot cure, fire cures; and those which fire cannot cure, are to be reckoned wholly incurable.

Hippocrates
Things that are holy are revealed only to men who are holy.

Hippocrates
Declare the past,
diagnose the present,
foretell the future.

Hippocrates
I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgement, but never with a view to injury or wrong-doing. Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course.

Hippocrates
A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.

Hippocrates
In autumn, diseases are most acute, and most mortal, on the whole. The spring is most healthy, and least mortal.

Hippocrates
The things relating to surgery, are — the patient; the operator; the assistants; the instruments; the light, where and how; how many things, and how; where the body, and the instruments; the time; the manner; the place.

Hippocrates
All excesses are inimical to Nature. It is safer to proceed a little at a time, especially when changing from one regimen to another.

Hippocrates
The body of man has in itself blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile; these make up the nature of this body, and through these he feels pain or enjoys health. Now he enjoys the most perfect health when these elements are duly proportioned to one another in respect of compounding, power and bulk, and when they are perfectly mingled.

Hippocrates
From nothing else but the brain come joys, delights, laughter and sports, and sorrows, griefs, despondency, and lamentations

Hippocrates
Life is short, and the Art long; the occasion fleeting; experience fallacious, and judgment difficult. The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself, but also to make the patient, the attendants, and externals cooperate.

Hippocrates