Hippocrates' Influential Life
Hippocrates was a very influential person to the world of medicine, but very little is known about his life. There is plenty of evidence of his medical work, but close to none about his personal life or anything other than medical reasoning. According to records, Hippocrates was born on the island of Cos (or Kos) to the parents Heraclides and Praxithea in the year 460 B.C.E. He was called Hippocrates Asclepiades, or descendant of the doctor god Asclepiades, but it is uncertain whether it is from descendance, or just because he mastered in the medical profession. Most legends place him in the line of the hero Hercules. Nobody knows how Hippocrates died, but estimates are around 380-370 B.C.E. He will always be remembered as the one and only, ‘Father of Medicine’.
Hippocrates early life was filled with mostly years of school and hard work. For nine years, he learned physical education, reading, writing, spelling, music, singing, and poetry. After that, he spent two more years in secondary school which included thorough athletic training. When he finished secondary school, he took an apprentice under his father, Heraclides. This apprenticeship included another doctor, Herodicus, and they went from patient to patient observing treatments. It is believed that the practices included the mainland of Greece, Egypt and Libya.
Hippocrates was credited for healing many people, including the king of Macedonia, from tuberculosis. His medical talent was put to the test during the three year plague over taking Athens. He healed many, saving large amounts of lives. This is the particular plague that Pericles, the great public speaker, died in. The height of Hippocrates career was during the Peloponnesian war, which lasted about 27 years.
Hippocrates teachings were as well known as his healing. He apprenticed his own sons, Thessalus and Draco, in the practices of medicine. There is a tree named the “Tree of Hippocrates” which shows students listening to his lessons. It is believed that the current tree is just under 500 years old, but the past tree is estimated of around 2000 to 2400 years old. In 400 B.C.E., Hippocrates founded a school of medicine in Cos (Kos) where he taught many more willing students. Finally, at the age of around the age of 90 years old, Hippocrates died, leaving his trail of magnificence behind.
Hippocrates early life was filled with mostly years of school and hard work. For nine years, he learned physical education, reading, writing, spelling, music, singing, and poetry. After that, he spent two more years in secondary school which included thorough athletic training. When he finished secondary school, he took an apprentice under his father, Heraclides. This apprenticeship included another doctor, Herodicus, and they went from patient to patient observing treatments. It is believed that the practices included the mainland of Greece, Egypt and Libya.
Hippocrates was credited for healing many people, including the king of Macedonia, from tuberculosis. His medical talent was put to the test during the three year plague over taking Athens. He healed many, saving large amounts of lives. This is the particular plague that Pericles, the great public speaker, died in. The height of Hippocrates career was during the Peloponnesian war, which lasted about 27 years.
Hippocrates teachings were as well known as his healing. He apprenticed his own sons, Thessalus and Draco, in the practices of medicine. There is a tree named the “Tree of Hippocrates” which shows students listening to his lessons. It is believed that the current tree is just under 500 years old, but the past tree is estimated of around 2000 to 2400 years old. In 400 B.C.E., Hippocrates founded a school of medicine in Cos (Kos) where he taught many more willing students. Finally, at the age of around the age of 90 years old, Hippocrates died, leaving his trail of magnificence behind.