Greek Medical Ethics

The Greek medical methods were just a diverse group of practices and ideas to try to help a patient (https://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Medicine/). What defined the Greek was their ethical medical values. For example, Hippocrates was a medical doctor who lived from 460 B.C.E. to about 377 B.C.E. He made famous the quote, "I will follow that [treatment] which, according to my ability and judgment, I will consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is [harmful].

The Ancient Egyptians possessed great knowledge of the human anatomy and the natural world. From their attempts at treatment of common ailments to their organ removal techniques during mummification, Ancient Egyptians were advanced beyond many of their time. Many Ancient Egyptian Priests were also doctors as many cures also involved blessing or prayers. Other doctors were scribes and given titles of "chief doctor and scribe of the word of God.” 1 Doctors had their own hierarchy, there were “basic doctors, senior doctors, inspectors, overseers and masters of physicians and the Chief of Physicians.” 1 The Royal palace doctors had their own specialized hierarchy. The degree of specialization among Ancient Egyptian physicians was quite remarkable

Nineteen century philosophy of healing in earlier times was based on superstitious practices. Medical treatment varied between doctors due to the fact medical education and drug manufacturing was unregulated. The cause of many illnesses was misunderstood. The preference for treatment was based on the doctor’s experience and not medical research. Patients tried home remedies before they called the doctor.

The Sumerians were one of the first to use ingredients from plants, animals, and minerals to making healing drugs and to catalog treatments and symptoms. They believed that gods and demons caused diseases. They made up charms and spells in hopes that it would cure the person with the disease. They believed that god put the disease on them if they sinned or did something wrong. By about 2500 BC doctors in Sumer started prescribing medicine to people sick or injured.

How the Hippocrates Saved the World How did the Hippocrates advance modern medicine? I personally think that Hippocrates medicine changed the world. From the knowledge that Jesus gave me, Hippocrates are a Greek kind of medicine. Also that the Hippocrates practice medicine along time ago. Hippocrates were known as the fathers of medicine.

There were no formal schools offering medical training during the time of the events described in the Iliad and Odyssey. In order to become proficient healer during armed conflict Physicians had to “acquire” medical training and “scientific skills through voluntary efforts” and it was not until the time of Hippocrates that a form of medical training and ethical medical conduct developed (Zuskin, 150). It is likely during events like the Trojan War that in most cases soldiers treated one another to the best of their abilities in the field. However, the ancient Greek warriors did recognize the importance of medical knowledge and the ability to treat wounds. When Machaon, wounded with an arrow to his shoulder, is treated by Idomeneus inside of Nestor’ tent when Idomeneus, pleading the case for physicians, declares that “a healer is worth many other men” and that skill in “cutting out arrows and spreading gentle remedies upon the wound” to be very valuable, especially in battle (Iliad, XI.

This incident changed the laws in medical practices, which in eventually affected pharmacy practices. It created the Belmont report ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research in 1979 which protected the right of the individuals who are doing any form of research. The government passed the National Research Act which created a commission to write regulations governing human test subjects. The Tuskegee experiment is significant to pharmacist as well as the history of America because patients trust on healthcare professional shifted from Doctors to Pharmacist. African Americans qualm Doctors; they also question the motives of Doctors.

The Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest, most misinterpreted, documents in history. The goal of the oath is to treat the ill to the best of one’s abilities, to protect the privacy of the patient, to pass on the secrets of medicine to the next generations, and more ("Medical Definition of Hippocratic Oath"). This is usually taken by those beginning their medical practices and is still used today. It was written by Hippocrates, who was one of the greatest physicians, in the late fifth century (Walton and Kerridge). Since the Hippocratic Oath is interpreted in different ways, many suggest that it supports euthanasia.

One of the most interesting ethical codes in modern times is in the medical field. The Hippocratic Oath is one of the earliest manuscripts in known history. The Hippocratic Oath obliges a newly minted physician to swear upon a number of Greek healing gods that he/she will follow the ethical standards of the profession. I’m concerned that this oath doesn’t have the same significance and respect, as in years past. The modern version of the oath is only a shadow of the original oath.

The Hippocratic Oath, written around 300 BC, outlines many of the current guidelines for physicians. Though the procedures have greatly changed, the oath is still commonly used, and parts are even written into modern laws*.School systems are even further affected by the ancient people, to the point that the entirety of the modern educational laws are taken from the ideas of the Greek philosopher Aristotle in his piece, The Politics. He was one of the first ones to come up with the idea of legislation to make education compulsory, so that the population was all taught the same things in the same way. He was against allowing parents to teach their kids in any way they wished, such as is shown in Aristotle’s own words “(...) education must necessarily be one and the same for all, and that the superintendence of it should be common and not on a private basis