Hippocrates and the hippocratic oath

Abstract

For a long-time men had a philosophic view of health and disease, and this lasted till almost 2500 years back. Hippocrates, the great Greek physician, is believed to have seperated the "art of healing" and philosophy. An astute observer, Hippocrates during his practice employed principles that laid the foundation of modern medicine. The medical fraternity worldwide unanimously bestowed the title of "father of medicine" to this great man. Apart from being a physician, he was instrumental in bringing about the concept of ethics in the realm of medicine. The famous document "Hippocratic Oath" while being respected by almost all has generated a great amount of debate among historians. Nonetheless, almost all medical schools across the world have the Oath ceremony where medical graduates agree to the commandments of the Hippocratic Oath, either in its original or modified form. Although a statement of promise this Oath does not have any legal implications as might be seen by a person outside the medical community. This article outlines the contributions made by Hippocrates to the medical world with an emphasis on the Hippocratic Oath.

Keywords

• Hippocrates
• Hippocratic Oath
• Oath