Ancient Medicine Midterm Questions With Complete
Solutions
'Greek Miracle' Correct Answers a. Birthplace of Greek
Miracle was in Miletus; where philosophy started but part of a
broader context
b. But take with a grain of salt with being stated as "birthplace
of philosophy"
c. Importance: evidence for science of healing being considered
as a part of philosophy
Airs, Waters and Places Correct Answers a. Text talking about
itinerant doctors & how they should 'examine their position with
respect to the winds & rising of the sun'
b. Talks about seasonal effects (hot winds & cold, properties of
water) affecting disease
Anonymous Londinensis Correct Answers a. Papyrus from 1st
c. CE; history of medicine from Aristotle's school
b. Unknown author whose papyrus was brought to British
Museum in London
c. "Hippocrates says that breaths/gases cause disease"; breaths
generated from 'residual nutriment' or undigested food, this is
similar to Egyptian medicine
d. Four Humor Theory (Polybus, Hippocrates son in law)
i. Blood, phlegm, bile, black bile
ii. Difficult to identify what texts Hippocrates actually wrote vs.
what other people wrote under his name
Asclepiad Correct Answers a. Descendant of Asclepius (god of
medicine); some genealogies place Hippocrates as an Asclepiad
,b. Temple for Asclepius (built 4th c. BCE) on island of Kos
which is Hippocrates birthplace; Kos is close to Turkey so
possible intellectual exchange
Asclepion Correct Answers temple to Asclepius; i.e. Epidaurus
Asclepius Correct Answers a. Human, hero, or divinity; first
mentioned in Iliad by Homer regarding his 2 sons Podaleirius &
Machaon who were skillful Greek healers in the war
b. Divine parentage: Apollo & Coronis; 'miraculous birth' from
being born from the dead body of Coronis
Asu vs Asipu Correct Answers a. Two types of healers in the
Mesopotamian era
b. Asu: medical, could be male or female
c. Asipu: magical, always male
d. Mesopotamian evidence of synthesis between asu & asipu
with a story of an asu switching between asu & asipu
Case of Anna O Correct Answers a. Pseudonym for a Jewish
aristocrat & case study for Freud
b. Had physical & psychological disturbances, rigid paralysis,
loss of sensation, disturbed eye movements, severe cough
c. Argued she was dealing with hysteria due to traumatic death
of her father
d. Freud used this case to talk about hysteria & linking it to
Hippocratic medicine
i. 'emotional shock', intersection of physical & psychological
disease
ii. Hysteria as a gendered term: affects young women
, iii. Freud wrote: 'not an organic disease of the brain', 'time of
ancient Greek medicine, has been known as 'hysteria''
Causes of illness in the Mesopotamian era Correct Answers a.
Animals/natural world, malevolent demons, ghosts, witches,
gods/goddesses
b. Shows the synthesis between medicine & magic
climes Correct Answers i. Climatic zones: 2 artic, 1 northern
temperate, 1 southern temperate, 1 tropical
ii. Different climes are healthier Greece at top & use these to
explain why Greek people are better
Cnidian Treatments Correct Answers a. Disease & digestion:
keep stomach empty/clean before meals
b. Dietics (& influence on Hippocratic writers)
c. Bleeding: cut to release blood & get rid of disease; purge of
bad substances
Contemporary sources about Hippocrates Correct Answers a.
Plato (c. 428-347): first decide if the problem is simple or
complex, if complex break down into smaller parts to assess, if
simple see what it is acting on or what is acting on it
Cuneiform Correct Answers Written script used in
Mesopotamian medicine; written in clay with reed stick
Disease as Divine retribution Correct Answers a. Evidence
from Iliad where plague was started with the gods' anger &
Apollo having a silver bow 'that brings disease'
Solutions
'Greek Miracle' Correct Answers a. Birthplace of Greek
Miracle was in Miletus; where philosophy started but part of a
broader context
b. But take with a grain of salt with being stated as "birthplace
of philosophy"
c. Importance: evidence for science of healing being considered
as a part of philosophy
Airs, Waters and Places Correct Answers a. Text talking about
itinerant doctors & how they should 'examine their position with
respect to the winds & rising of the sun'
b. Talks about seasonal effects (hot winds & cold, properties of
water) affecting disease
Anonymous Londinensis Correct Answers a. Papyrus from 1st
c. CE; history of medicine from Aristotle's school
b. Unknown author whose papyrus was brought to British
Museum in London
c. "Hippocrates says that breaths/gases cause disease"; breaths
generated from 'residual nutriment' or undigested food, this is
similar to Egyptian medicine
d. Four Humor Theory (Polybus, Hippocrates son in law)
i. Blood, phlegm, bile, black bile
ii. Difficult to identify what texts Hippocrates actually wrote vs.
what other people wrote under his name
Asclepiad Correct Answers a. Descendant of Asclepius (god of
medicine); some genealogies place Hippocrates as an Asclepiad
,b. Temple for Asclepius (built 4th c. BCE) on island of Kos
which is Hippocrates birthplace; Kos is close to Turkey so
possible intellectual exchange
Asclepion Correct Answers temple to Asclepius; i.e. Epidaurus
Asclepius Correct Answers a. Human, hero, or divinity; first
mentioned in Iliad by Homer regarding his 2 sons Podaleirius &
Machaon who were skillful Greek healers in the war
b. Divine parentage: Apollo & Coronis; 'miraculous birth' from
being born from the dead body of Coronis
Asu vs Asipu Correct Answers a. Two types of healers in the
Mesopotamian era
b. Asu: medical, could be male or female
c. Asipu: magical, always male
d. Mesopotamian evidence of synthesis between asu & asipu
with a story of an asu switching between asu & asipu
Case of Anna O Correct Answers a. Pseudonym for a Jewish
aristocrat & case study for Freud
b. Had physical & psychological disturbances, rigid paralysis,
loss of sensation, disturbed eye movements, severe cough
c. Argued she was dealing with hysteria due to traumatic death
of her father
d. Freud used this case to talk about hysteria & linking it to
Hippocratic medicine
i. 'emotional shock', intersection of physical & psychological
disease
ii. Hysteria as a gendered term: affects young women
, iii. Freud wrote: 'not an organic disease of the brain', 'time of
ancient Greek medicine, has been known as 'hysteria''
Causes of illness in the Mesopotamian era Correct Answers a.
Animals/natural world, malevolent demons, ghosts, witches,
gods/goddesses
b. Shows the synthesis between medicine & magic
climes Correct Answers i. Climatic zones: 2 artic, 1 northern
temperate, 1 southern temperate, 1 tropical
ii. Different climes are healthier Greece at top & use these to
explain why Greek people are better
Cnidian Treatments Correct Answers a. Disease & digestion:
keep stomach empty/clean before meals
b. Dietics (& influence on Hippocratic writers)
c. Bleeding: cut to release blood & get rid of disease; purge of
bad substances
Contemporary sources about Hippocrates Correct Answers a.
Plato (c. 428-347): first decide if the problem is simple or
complex, if complex break down into smaller parts to assess, if
simple see what it is acting on or what is acting on it
Cuneiform Correct Answers Written script used in
Mesopotamian medicine; written in clay with reed stick
Disease as Divine retribution Correct Answers a. Evidence
from Iliad where plague was started with the gods' anger &
Apollo having a silver bow 'that brings disease'
