Hippocratic Oath Analysis

In light of this, many physicians defended their position much like the writer of The Science of Medicine who stated in his public speech, “Our practice is limited by the instruments made available by Nature or by Art. When a man is attacked by a disease more powerful than the instruments of medicine, it must not be expected that medicine should prove victorious.” The writer soundly defends medicine’s role as a techne by pointing out the fact that medicine has its limitations and if a disease is more powerful than the tools available, the patient cannot be expected to live. This rebuttal to the critics of ancient medicine made sense then and still to this day. Moreover, the writer further states that in order for physicians to defend the …show more content…
These guidelines are known today as the Hippocratic Oath. The oath further explains, when entering a patient home, a physician will help the sick and do no harm or will not use his position to engage in any sexual acts. This oath sets many ethical guidelines for the physician to follow such as, “I will not cut, even for the stone, but I will leave such procedures to the practitioners of that craft.” Interestingly, it is clear in other Hippocratic Corpus writings, not all physicians followed this oath or knew of …show more content…
The ancient Greek Iatroi had begun to develop an ethical set of principles, which we know as the Hippocratic Oath. Although, the origin of this oath is questionable and has evolved throughout the ages, it is still as relevant today as it was then. Also, the philosophy behind a techne has permeated throughout the world and is the structural foundation of many professions, including those in the field of medicine. Furthermore, the idea of holistically treating the patient continues to be relevant, as it is a key principle in the field of nursing. Lastly, although our theoretical understanding of the body differs from that of the Iatros, the manner of treatment closely resembles todays. For example, the idea to treat pain and alleviate pain with a fomentation. Also, the understanding that if you were constipated you would need to hydrate and could use an enema. More notably, the importance and stress the Greeks placed upon the balanced eating of food in order to live a healthy life. It is clear, the ancient Greeks understanding of how to treat illness was not as farfetched as one might believe at a first