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A History of Medicine
Volume II details the development of medicine among the early Indo-European peoples--Greeks, Indians, and Persians. The Indo-Europeans were the first to use empirical knowledge to develop philosophical systems of medicine which looked beyond the sick man for universal laws. This volume examines the Greek rational systems which are the foundations of modern science, and the similar Near Eastern approaches, which had an additional mystic component better suited for handling mental and spiritual problems.
- GenresHistory
368 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1961
About the author
Henry E. Sigerist
89 books3 followersHenry Ernest Sigerist (7 April 1891, Paris, France – 17 March 1957, Pura, Switzerland) was a Swiss medical historian.
After graduating M.D. at the University of Zurich in 1917, Sigerist devoted himself to the study of history of medicine. Socialized Medicine in the Soviet Union (1937), and History of Medicine were among his most important works. He emerged as a major spokesman for "compulsory health insurance". From 1932 to 1947 was director at Johns Hopkins University institute of history of medicine. He received financial aid from the Rockefeller Institute. He attacked the American Medical Association because of his conflicting views on socialized medicine. Dr. Sigerist was influential in the creation of socialized medicine in Canada. He made four trips to Canada in the 1930s and 1940s at the invitation of various medical groups to speak on this topic. Under his influence, Saskatchewan introduced state-funded medical and hospital care for pensioners, people on welfare and cancer patients after being hired to write a report in 1944 by Tommy Douglas the socialist Premier of that Canadian province. This was the basis for the eventual adoption of government funded health care in all of Canada.
Sigerist died in 1957, and his passing was mourned among many in the medical community, although his views on socialized medicine were often glossed over in obituaries in national newspapers. Although Sigerist's influence waned during the mid 1900s, he has slowly become an important figure again in medical history. An organization of medical historians have named themselves the Sigerist Circle, and books such as Making Medical History: The Life and Times of Henry E. Sigerist by Theodore M. Brown and Elizabeth Fee have begun to reintroduce Sigerist's legacy to the world.
After graduating M.D. at the University of Zurich in 1917, Sigerist devoted himself to the study of history of medicine. Socialized Medicine in the Soviet Union (1937), and History of Medicine were among his most important works. He emerged as a major spokesman for "compulsory health insurance". From 1932 to 1947 was director at Johns Hopkins University institute of history of medicine. He received financial aid from the Rockefeller Institute. He attacked the American Medical Association because of his conflicting views on socialized medicine. Dr. Sigerist was influential in the creation of socialized medicine in Canada. He made four trips to Canada in the 1930s and 1940s at the invitation of various medical groups to speak on this topic. Under his influence, Saskatchewan introduced state-funded medical and hospital care for pensioners, people on welfare and cancer patients after being hired to write a report in 1944 by Tommy Douglas the socialist Premier of that Canadian province. This was the basis for the eventual adoption of government funded health care in all of Canada.
Sigerist died in 1957, and his passing was mourned among many in the medical community, although his views on socialized medicine were often glossed over in obituaries in national newspapers. Although Sigerist's influence waned during the mid 1900s, he has slowly become an important figure again in medical history. An organization of medical historians have named themselves the Sigerist Circle, and books such as Making Medical History: The Life and Times of Henry E. Sigerist by Theodore M. Brown and Elizabeth Fee have begun to reintroduce Sigerist's legacy to the world.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 16, 2026
The Greeks Did It First!
A detailed book about medicine from 2500 years ago. The landscape and the civilization, mise en scene that gave birth to such a powerful, esteemed medical tradition. The Hippocratic Oath, is still taken in some countries by physicians.
Left me speechless how wise and 'modern' the Greek civilization was. Many practices and culture that we take as pillars of how a health care practitioner must be, greeks were the first to write it down, in volumes i might add. Yes modern medicine has advanced since those times, but the approach that greeks had towards medicine and health care is not that different from how it is today.
It also discusses the difference between miracle/medicine, difference between religious medicine and empirical medicine. Yes greek physicians were not religious healers, being a physician was a discipline/craft in its own right.
It also talks about how physicians practiced, by becoming a student of an existing famed physician. Being a physician was an apprenticeship with hands on learning from day one.
Greeks even had physicians paid and posted at certain town municipalities (if the physician was famed enough).
This book also highlights the intersectionality of myths of Aesclepiad, Mithra, Jesus, how Aesclepius was the OG healer physician that healed and cured the blind, leper, deaf, those who could not afford a doctor.
The Aesclepius cult predates Christianity by some 500-700 years.
This book also highlights how greeks viewed mythology and how mythological figures were seen as Figure heads (mascots even) for a certain trade or craft.
Apollo for health
Aesclepius (son of Apollo) for health
Athena for wisdom
Eileithiyia for labor pain
This book also shows how greeks liked to write in a 'theme', so the Hippocratic Corpus while attributed to Hipprocates is not entirely written by Hipprocates. Similar to how Homer's Iliad and Odyssey is not written by a real Homer. They wrote and compiled things under a figure head author who was their Father/Leader in a symbolic way. This also illuminates some aspects of Biblical New Testament writing is heavily greek influenced and written in Greek. The same thematic writing can be ascribed here, where stories from many messiah like figures are collected and then attributed to one mythologized figurehead. So the figurehead stories is a compilation of many people that cement that figureheads role/function as a diety/leader etc.
It's a strange concept for us today, but this was indeed how it was.
This is why I stand firm,in that we owe everything to ancient Greeks!
A detailed book about medicine from 2500 years ago. The landscape and the civilization, mise en scene that gave birth to such a powerful, esteemed medical tradition. The Hippocratic Oath, is still taken in some countries by physicians.
Left me speechless how wise and 'modern' the Greek civilization was. Many practices and culture that we take as pillars of how a health care practitioner must be, greeks were the first to write it down, in volumes i might add. Yes modern medicine has advanced since those times, but the approach that greeks had towards medicine and health care is not that different from how it is today.
It also discusses the difference between miracle/medicine, difference between religious medicine and empirical medicine. Yes greek physicians were not religious healers, being a physician was a discipline/craft in its own right.
It also talks about how physicians practiced, by becoming a student of an existing famed physician. Being a physician was an apprenticeship with hands on learning from day one.
Greeks even had physicians paid and posted at certain town municipalities (if the physician was famed enough).
This book also highlights the intersectionality of myths of Aesclepiad, Mithra, Jesus, how Aesclepius was the OG healer physician that healed and cured the blind, leper, deaf, those who could not afford a doctor.
The Aesclepius cult predates Christianity by some 500-700 years.
This book also highlights how greeks viewed mythology and how mythological figures were seen as Figure heads (mascots even) for a certain trade or craft.
Apollo for health
Aesclepius (son of Apollo) for health
Athena for wisdom
Eileithiyia for labor pain
This book also shows how greeks liked to write in a 'theme', so the Hippocratic Corpus while attributed to Hipprocates is not entirely written by Hipprocates. Similar to how Homer's Iliad and Odyssey is not written by a real Homer. They wrote and compiled things under a figure head author who was their Father/Leader in a symbolic way. This also illuminates some aspects of Biblical New Testament writing is heavily greek influenced and written in Greek. The same thematic writing can be ascribed here, where stories from many messiah like figures are collected and then attributed to one mythologized figurehead. So the figurehead stories is a compilation of many people that cement that figureheads role/function as a diety/leader etc.
It's a strange concept for us today, but this was indeed how it was.
This is why I stand firm,in that we owe everything to ancient Greeks!
Displaying 1 of 1 review