four humors

I like the ideas generated by the medieval view of health and illness. People were understood to be either in balance, or out of balance depending on the four humors, or fluids in the body. They were blood, yelow bile, black bile and phlegm. Any imbalance in the fluids created different illnesses and hence the practices of bleeding, leeches and purging. While the ideas behind this approach faded in the 18th century, with the development of medical and scientific techniques, some of its influences are still around. So for example peoples personality may be described as sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic or choleric. There are also some links to astrology and in certain cultures these practices still exist. In western societies, particularly with experiments in alternative medicine, some of these ideas are still explored and used. Interesting how ideas and knowledge develop, evolve and go full circle sometimes.