Are The Four Humors Still Relevant Today?

The concept of humorism, a medical theory that attributed health and illness to the balance of four bodily fluids, began to lose prominence starting in the 17th century. However, it was conclusively debunked in the mid-19th century, around 1850, with the emergence of germ theory. Germ theory revolutionized medicine by demonstrating that many diseases, previously believed to be linked to the humors, were actually caused by microscopic organisms, such as bacteria and viruses. This groundbreaking discovery led to the abandonment of humorism as a credible medical framework and paved the way for modern medicine’s understanding of infectious diseases and their treatment.

The Four Humours theory, initially developed by Hippocrates, held a central position in medical thought for a remarkably extended period of two thousand years. This ancient Greek theory posited that the human body consisted of four primary elements or humours that had to maintain equilibrium to ensure good health. These humours were blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. This enduring theory, which remained influential for centuries, influenced medical practices, diagnoses, and treatments throughout a significant portion of history.