TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY ®  •  TODAYINSCI ®
Celebrating 24 Years on the Web
Find science on or your birthday

Today in Science History - Quickie Quiz
Who said: “Politics is more difficult than physics.”
more quiz questions >>
Home > Dictionary of Science Quotations > Scientist Names Index H > Hippocrates Quotes > Physician

Thumbnail of Hippocrates (source)
Hippocrates
(c. 460 B.C. - c. 370 B.C.)

Greek physician who is associated with the Hippocratic Writings which, in fact, are the work of a large number of anonymous medical writers. Attempts to distinguish the specific works of Hippocrates himself have been unsuccessful due to poor available evidence.

Hippocrates Quotes on Physician (10 quotes)

>> Click for 41 Science Quotes by Hippocrates

>> Click for Hippocrates Quotes on | Brain | Disease | Knowledge | Medicine | Pain |

A physician ought to have his shop provided with plenty of all necessary things, as lint, rollers, splinters: let there be likewise in readiness at all times another small cabinet of such things as may serve for occasions of going far from home; let him have also all sorts of plasters, potions, and purging medicines, so contrived that they may keep some considerable time, and likewise such as may be had and used whilst they are fresh.
— Hippocrates
In Prose Quotations from Socrates to Macaulay (1876), 536.
Science quotes on:  |  Cabinet (5)  |  Considerable (75)  |  Fresh (69)  |  Home (184)  |  Medicine (392)  |  Necessary (370)  |  Occasion (87)  |  Physician (284)  |  Plaster (5)  |  Potion (3)  |  Purge (11)  |  Readiness (9)  |  Roller (3)  |  Shop (11)  |  Small (489)  |  Thing (1914)  |  Time (1911)

Any man who is intelligent must, on considering that health is of the utmost value to human beings, have the personal understanding necessary to help himself in diseases, and be able to understand and to judge what physicians say and what they administer to his body, being versed in each of these matters to a degree reasonable for a layman.
— Hippocrates
Affections, in Hippocrates, trans. P. Potter (1988), Vol. 5, 7.
Science quotes on:  |  Being (1276)  |  Body (557)  |  Degree (277)  |  Disease (340)  |  Health (210)  |  Himself (461)  |  Human (1512)  |  Human Being (185)  |  Intelligent (108)  |  Judge (114)  |  Layman (21)  |  Man (2252)  |  Matter (821)  |  Medicine (392)  |  Must (1525)  |  Necessary (370)  |  Physician (284)  |  Say (989)  |  Understand (648)  |  Understanding (527)  |  Value (393)

In acute diseases the physician must conduct his inquiries in the following way. First he must examine the face of the patient, and see whether it is like the faces of healthy people, and especially whether it is like its usual self. Such likeness will be the best sign, and the greatest unlikeness will be the most dangerous sign. The latter will be as follows. Nose sharp, eyes hollow, temples sunken, ears cold and contracted with their lobes turned outwards, the skin about the face hard and tense and parched, the colour of the face as a whole being yellow or black.
— Hippocrates
Prognostic, in Hippocrates, trans. W. H. S. Jones (1923), Vol. 2, 9.
Science quotes on:  |  Being (1276)  |  Best (467)  |  Cold (115)  |  Conduct (70)  |  Dangerous (108)  |  Diagnosis (65)  |  Disease (340)  |  Ear (69)  |  Examine (84)  |  Eye (440)  |  Face (214)  |  First (1302)  |  Follow (389)  |  Greatest (330)  |  Hard (246)  |  Healthy (70)  |  Likeness (18)  |  Most (1728)  |  Must (1525)  |  Patient (209)  |  People (1031)  |  Physician (284)  |  See (1094)  |  Self (268)  |  Skin (48)  |  Temple (45)  |  Turn (454)  |  Way (1214)  |  Whole (756)  |  Will (2350)  |  Yellow (31)

Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free. And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what should not be published abroad, I will never divulge, holding such things to be holy secrets.
— Hippocrates
Oath, in Hippocrates, trans. W. H. S. Jones (1923), Vol. 1, 301.
Science quotes on:  |  Abroad (19)  |  Abstain (7)  |  Bond (46)  |  Course (413)  |  Doing (277)  |  Enter (145)  |  Free (239)  |  Hear (144)  |  Holy (35)  |  House (143)  |  Man (2252)  |  Never (1089)  |  Oath (10)  |  Outside (141)  |  Physician (284)  |  Profession (108)  |  Secret (216)  |  See (1094)  |  Sick (83)  |  Thing (1914)  |  Whatsoever (41)  |  Will (2350)  |  Woman (160)  |  Wrong (246)

Life is short, and the Art long; the occasion fleeting; experience fallacious, and judgment difficult. The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself, but also to make the patient, the attendants, and externals cooperate.
— Hippocrates
The Genuine Works of Hippocrates, trans. Francis Adams (1886), Vol. 2, 192.
Science quotes on:  |  Art (680)  |  Difficult (263)  |  Do (1905)  |  Experience (494)  |  Fallacious (13)  |  Himself (461)  |  Judgment (140)  |  Life (1870)  |  Long (778)  |  Must (1525)  |  Occasion (87)  |  Patient (209)  |  Physician (284)  |  Right (473)  |  Short (200)

Life is short, the Art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, judgment difficult. The physician must be ready, not only to do his duty himself, but also to secure the co-operation of the patient, of the attendants and of externals.
— Hippocrates
Aphorisms, in Hippocrates, trans. W. H. S. Jones (1931), Vol. 4, 99.
Science quotes on:  |  Art (680)  |  Difficult (263)  |  Do (1905)  |  Experience (494)  |  Himself (461)  |  Judgment (140)  |  Life (1870)  |  Long (778)  |  Must (1525)  |  Nurse (33)  |  Operation (221)  |  Opportunity (95)  |  Patient (209)  |  Physician (284)  |  Short (200)

Physicians are many in title but very few in reality.
— Hippocrates
The Genuine Works of Hippocrates, trans. Francis Adams (1886), Vol. 2, 284.
Science quotes on:  |  Physician (284)  |  Reality (274)

THE OATH. I swear by Apollo [the healing God], the physician and Aesclepius [son of Apollo], and Health [Hygeia], and All-heal [Panacea], and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation—to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none others. I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art. I will not cut persons laboring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and, further, from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves. Whatever, in connection with my professional practice or not, in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret. While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times! But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot!
— Hippocrates
The Genuine Works of Hippocrates, trans. Francis Adams (1886), Vol. 2, 344-5.
Science quotes on:  |  Ability (162)  |  Abortion (4)  |  Abroad (19)  |  Abstain (7)  |  According (236)  |  Act (278)  |  Art (680)  |  Ask (420)  |  Benefit (123)  |  Bound (120)  |  Brother (47)  |  Connection (171)  |  Consider (428)  |  Continue (179)  |  Corruption (17)  |  Counsel (11)  |  Cut (116)  |  Deadly (21)  |  Enter (145)  |  Equally (129)  |  Female (50)  |  Follow (389)  |  God (776)  |  Grant (76)  |  Healing (28)  |  Health (210)  |  Hear (144)  |  Holiness (7)  |  House (143)  |  Impart (24)  |  Instruction (101)  |  Judgment (140)  |  Knowledge (1647)  |  Law (913)  |  Learn (672)  |  Lecture (111)  |  Life (1870)  |  Look (584)  |  Lot (151)  |  Medicine (392)  |  Mischief (13)  |  Mischievous (12)  |  Oath (10)  |  Offspring (27)  |  Other (2233)  |  Parent (80)  |  Pass (241)  |  Patient (209)  |  Person (366)  |  Physician (284)  |  Practice (212)  |  Practitioner (21)  |  Precept (10)  |  Professional (77)  |  Reckon (31)  |  Reckoning (19)  |  Required (108)  |  Respect (212)  |  Reverse (33)  |  Secret (216)  |  Seduction (3)  |  See (1094)  |  Share (82)  |  Sick (83)  |  Slave (40)  |  Stone (168)  |  Substance (253)  |  Swear (7)  |  System (545)  |  Teach (299)  |  Teacher (154)  |  Time (1911)  |  Trespass (5)  |  Whatever (234)  |  Will (2350)  |  Wish (216)  |  Woman (160)  |  Work (1402)

There are some arts which to those that possess them are painful, but to those that use them are helpful, a common good to laymen, but to those that practise them grievous. Of such arts there is one which the Greeks call medicine. For the medical man sees terrible sights, touches unpleasant things, and the misfortunes of others bring a harvest of sorrows that are peculiarly his; but the sick by means of the art rid themselves of the worst of evils, disease, suffering, pain and death.
— Hippocrates
Breaths, in Hippocrates, trans. W. H. S. Jones (1923), Vol. 2, 227.
Science quotes on:  |  Art (680)  |  Call (781)  |  Common (447)  |  Death (406)  |  Disease (340)  |  Evil (122)  |  Good (906)  |  Greek (109)  |  Harvest (28)  |  Man (2252)  |  Mean (810)  |  Means (587)  |  Medicine (392)  |  Misfortune (13)  |  Other (2233)  |  Pain (144)  |  Physician (284)  |  Possess (157)  |  See (1094)  |  Sick (83)  |  Sight (135)  |  Sorrow (21)  |  Suffering (68)  |  Terrible (41)  |  Themselves (433)  |  Thing (1914)  |  Unpleasant (15)  |  Use (771)  |  Worst (57)

Whoever is to acquire a competent knowledge of medicine, ought to be possessed of the following advantages: a natural disposition; instructionl a favorable place for the study; early tuition, love of labor; leisure.
— Hippocrates
The Genuine Works of Hippocrates, trans. Francis Adams (1886), Vol. 2, 284.
Science quotes on:  |  Advantage (144)  |  Disposition (44)  |  Early (196)  |  Favorable (24)  |  Knowledge (1647)  |  Labor (200)  |  Leisure (25)  |  Love (328)  |  Medicine (392)  |  Natural (810)  |  Physician (284)  |  Possess (157)  |  Study (701)  |  Tuition (3)  |  Whoever (42)


Carl Sagan Thumbnail In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. (1987) -- Carl Sagan
Quotations by:Albert EinsteinIsaac NewtonLord KelvinCharles DarwinSrinivasa RamanujanCarl SaganFlorence NightingaleThomas EdisonAristotleMarie CurieBenjamin FranklinWinston ChurchillGalileo GalileiSigmund FreudRobert BunsenLouis PasteurTheodore RooseveltAbraham LincolnRonald ReaganLeonardo DaVinciMichio KakuKarl PopperJohann GoetheRobert OppenheimerCharles Kettering  ... (more people)

Quotations about:Atomic  BombBiologyChemistryDeforestationEngineeringAnatomyAstronomyBacteriaBiochemistryBotanyConservationDinosaurEnvironmentFractalGeneticsGeologyHistory of ScienceInventionJupiterKnowledgeLoveMathematicsMeasurementMedicineNatural ResourceOrganic ChemistryPhysicsPhysicianQuantum TheoryResearchScience and ArtTeacherTechnologyUniverseVolcanoVirusWind PowerWomen ScientistsX-RaysYouthZoology  ... (more topics)
Sitewide search within all Today In Science History pages:
Visit our Science and Scientist Quotations index for more Science Quotes from archaeologists, biologists, chemists, geologists, inventors and inventions, mathematicians, physicists, pioneers in medicine, science events and technology.

Names index: | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

Categories index: | 1 | 2 | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Thank you for sharing.
- 100 -
Sophie Germain
Gertrude Elion
Ernest Rutherford
James Chadwick
Marcel Proust
William Harvey
Johann Goethe
John Keynes
Carl Gauss
Paul Feyerabend
- 90 -
Antoine Lavoisier
Lise Meitner
Charles Babbage
Ibn Khaldun
Euclid
Ralph Emerson
Robert Bunsen
Frederick Banting
Andre Ampere
Winston Churchill
- 80 -
John Locke
Bronislaw Malinowski
Bible
Thomas Huxley
Alessandro Volta
Erwin Schrodinger
Wilhelm Roentgen
Louis Pasteur
Bertrand Russell
Jean Lamarck
- 70 -
Samuel Morse
John Wheeler
Nicolaus Copernicus
Robert Fulton
Pierre Laplace
Humphry Davy
Thomas Edison
Lord Kelvin
Theodore Roosevelt
Carolus Linnaeus
- 60 -
Francis Galton
Linus Pauling
Immanuel Kant
Martin Fischer
Robert Boyle
Karl Popper
Paul Dirac
Avicenna
James Watson
William Shakespeare
- 50 -
Stephen Hawking
Niels Bohr
Nikola Tesla
Rachel Carson
Max Planck
Henry Adams
Richard Dawkins
Werner Heisenberg
Alfred Wegener
John Dalton
- 40 -
Pierre Fermat
Edward Wilson
Johannes Kepler
Gustave Eiffel
Giordano Bruno
JJ Thomson
Thomas Kuhn
Leonardo DaVinci
Archimedes
David Hume
- 30 -
Andreas Vesalius
Rudolf Virchow
Richard Feynman
James Hutton
Alexander Fleming
Emile Durkheim
Benjamin Franklin
Robert Oppenheimer
Robert Hooke
Charles Kettering
- 20 -
Carl Sagan
James Maxwell
Marie Curie
Rene Descartes
Francis Crick
Hippocrates
Michael Faraday
Srinivasa Ramanujan
Francis Bacon
Galileo Galilei
- 10 -
Aristotle
John Watson
Rosalind Franklin
Michio Kaku
Isaac Asimov
Charles Darwin
Sigmund Freud
Albert Einstein
Florence Nightingale
Isaac Newton


by Ian Ellis
who invites your feedback
Thank you for sharing.
Today in Science History
Sign up for Newsletter
with quiz, quotes and more.