Introduction
Students learn about Hippocrates and Galen in the context of the traditional Western medicine and humoral theory. After exploring “The World of Shakespeare’s Humors” section of the online exhibition, students also consider and write their own thoughts on whether or how modern medicine considers the mind-body connection at the end of the lesson.
Procedures
- Briefly assess students’ assumptions about the mind-body connection with an opening question: Do you think there is a connection between your body and your mind? Does the state of one affect the state of the other? Have students explain their positions with examples.
- Tell students that a mind-body connection has been explored and theorized since ancient times, and that the class will learn about the four humors theory established by ancient Greek and Roman physicians such as Hippocrates and Galen.
- Display Hippocrates’s Quote and Galen’s Quote for the class and read aloud the quotes and then the questions. If needed, clarify “B.C.E” as before common era (traditionally B.C.) and “C.E.” as common era (also referred as A.D.).
- Pair students and give half of the pairs Hippocrates’s Quote and the other half Galen’s Quote. Have pairs discuss and respond to the accompanying questions, then share their responses with the class. See Teacher’s Hippocrates’s Quote and Teacher’s Galen’s Quote for suggested discussion guide.
- Tell students that they will learn more about the four-humor theory that Hippocrates and Galen helped establish as a part of traditional Western medicine.
- Hand out Hippocrates Introduction to student pairs with the Hippocrates’ Quote handout; and Galen Introduction and Asia Minor-Pergamum Map to the pairs with the Galen’s Quote handout.
- Have pairs read and answer the questions on their handouts, then have students volunteer their responses to the handout questions. See discussion guides noted in Teacher’s Hippocrates Introduction, Teacher’s Galen Introduction and Teacher’s Asia Minor-Pergamum Map.
- Project the “The World of Shakespeare’s Humors” online exhibition section then scroll down to and read aloud the text for Hippocrates and Galen. Afterwards ask students to identify any concepts that repeat in both descriptions.
- Hippocrates, De Humoribus (On the Humors), 1525: Greek physician Hippocrates (ca. 460 BCE–370 BCE) is often credited with developing the theory of the four humors—blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm—and their influence on the body and its emotions.
- Galen, De temperamentis libri tres (translation to come): 1545, Born in Pergamon, Roman physician and philosopher Galen (c. 131-c. 201) described the four temperaments as determined by a balance of the qualities of hot, cold, moist, and dry. He was revered as a great clinician
- Tell students that the “four humors” (bodily fluids) and “four temperaments” are physical attributes that ancient Greeks and Romans believed affected one’s health and personality, and that theory was central to medical practices and to understanding people’s dispositions well into the 17th century.
- Have students fill out an exit slip answering the following question: Consider what you have learned about Hippocrates, Galen, and the four humors. Do you think that modern medicine continues to explore the mind-body connection, treating the body to treat the mind, and vice-versa? If yes, please provide an example; if no, explain why.
- Collect the exit slips from students for evaluation and to use in Lesson 2 for a final writing assignment.
- Lesson 1 Evaluation: Teachers may use class discussion and the completed handouts and the exit slips for evaluation.