The theory of the four humors, which originated in ancient Greek medicine, began to decline in popularity during the Renaissance, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries. By the 19th century, advancements in medical science, such as the development of germ theory and improved understanding of human anatomy, led to the abandonment of humoral theory. While remnants of the idea lingered in some traditional practices, it is largely considered obsolete in modern medicine.
There were supposedly four humors (black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm). When someone was sick, the four humors must have been out of balance and to heal, the four humors had to be balanced again.
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Egyptian
yes
Galen learned from doctors such as Hippocrates about the four humors.
Hippocrates, a greek doctor, in 460-377 BC
Hippocrates believed that the human body was controlled by four humors, phlegm, black bile, yellow bile and blood. Illnesses were caused by an imbalance of the humors.
In medieval medicine, the colors associated with the four humors were black bile (melancholic) - black, yellow bile (choleric) - yellow, blood (sanguine) - red, and phlegm (phlegmatic) - white. The balance of these humors was believed to affect a person's health and temperament.
fingers, toes and butt fingers, toes and butt
The belief in the four humors—blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile—was thought to influence a person's physical and mental health. It was believed that imbalances in these humors could lead to illness or changes in personality. Treatment involved restoring balance through practices like bloodletting or changing diet and lifestyle.
The four elements connected to the Four Humors are blood (connected to air), phlegm (water), yellow bile (fire), and black bile (earth). Each humor was thought to correspond to one of these elements, influencing an individual's health and personality.
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates first popularize the theory that humors in the body contributed to the temperament of people. Melancholia was it was believed to be caused by an excess of black bile.