I loved your review, and fondly remember reading it in that year’s contest. I’ve actually been wanting to ask you a question since then: what DID Galen think these humors were?
I mean, blood and phlegm are apparent enough, but what did “black bile” refer to, in our understanding? Did the other delightful bodily fluids (say, semen, earwax, pus…) fit into his system?
Thank you! This is a great question and I'm still not totally clear on the answer.
However, one theory I like is this: the Swedish physician Robin Fåhraeus suggested that the four humors referred to what happens when blood clots in a glass container. Left undisturbed for about an hour, a flask of blood separates into four distinct layers: a dark clot at the bottom ("black bile"); a layer of red blood cells above ("blood"); a layer of white blood cells above that ("phlegm"); and clear yellow serum on top ("yellow bile"). See his 1921 paper for the details. I know I've seen a nice diagram of this before but I can't find it at the moment.
I'm hoping to read Hippocrates soon so watch this space, maybe I will have better answers soon!
I loved your review, and fondly remember reading it in that year’s contest. I’ve actually been wanting to ask you a question since then: what DID Galen think these humors were?
I mean, blood and phlegm are apparent enough, but what did “black bile” refer to, in our understanding? Did the other delightful bodily fluids (say, semen, earwax, pus…) fit into his system?
Thank you! This is a great question and I'm still not totally clear on the answer.
However, one theory I like is this: the Swedish physician Robin Fåhraeus suggested that the four humors referred to what happens when blood clots in a glass container. Left undisturbed for about an hour, a flask of blood separates into four distinct layers: a dark clot at the bottom ("black bile"); a layer of red blood cells above ("blood"); a layer of white blood cells above that ("phlegm"); and clear yellow serum on top ("yellow bile"). See his 1921 paper for the details. I know I've seen a nice diagram of this before but I can't find it at the moment.
I'm hoping to read Hippocrates soon so watch this space, maybe I will have better answers soon!