I thought we would do something a little different this month. Something not too serious or controversial. I want us to consider some of Hippocrates' aphorisms.

Most of us know that Hippocrates is considered to be the "father of medicine". Born in 460 BC on a small Greek island, he would later found a school there that taught the healing arts. He broke with tradition, proclaiming that illness could be explained in a rational and objective manner, and that it was not caused by superstitions and by possession of evil spirits. Nor was it caused by the disfavor of the gods. Some of his work and writings have stood the test of time. He was accurate in his descriptions of pneumonia and childhood epilepsy, for example. Some of his other thoughts and conclusions now seem, well, interesting.

And that brings us to his "aphorisms". Webster defines this as "a brief statement of truth or principal". Let's see what he had to say about some topics and problems that continue to beset us. Some of his teachings will amuse and probably surprise you.

"Predictions in acute diseases, whether favorable or unfavorable, are not absolutely certain." He obviously had not met a malpractice attorney.

"It is impossible to cure apoplexy ( a stroke ) when severe, and very difficult even when slight." Still true today.

"Persons who are naturally of a full habit (overweight) die suddenly, more frequently than those who are slender." True.

"Among children subject to epilepsy, changes, especially of age, of country, and of manner of living, effect a cure." Only true for age, in that a lot of children "outgrow" seizures as they get older. He goes on to say, "Epilepsy which occurs before puberty, may be removed; but occurring after the age of twenty five, it continues through life." Most neurologists would agree.

"Of two pains existing at the same time, but not in the same place, the stronger obscures the other." Very true. This is a maxim taught in emergency medicine. The pain of a broken leg can distract a patient ( and his unwary physician ) from a more threatening broken neck.

"If black bile be evacuated upwards of downwards, at the commencement of a disease, it is a fatal symptom." Believe me, you don't want any part of this.

"Interrupted breathing is a very bad sign in fevers, because it indicates a convulsive state." I think interrupted breathing is a bad sign no matter what the state.

"If a person when intoxicated suddenly lose the power of speech, he dies convulsed, except he be attacked by fever, or his speech return as soon as drunkenness ceases." Say what?

"They who are attacked with tetanus, die within four days; but recover if they pass that period." Still true.

Now here are a few to ask your OB/GYN about:

"When the pregnant uterus contains twins, if one breast become flaccid, one of the twins is expelled; if the right breast, the male; but if the left, the female."

"If a woman be pregnant with a boy, her color is good; but if with a female, it is bad."

"Should it be desirable to ascertain whether a woman be pregnant or not, let her when about to sleep (without supper) drink water in which honey is dissolved: if pains about the belly occur, she is pregnant; but if otherwise, she is not." Boy, that might finish the pregnancy test industry.

And finally, he tells us what we have to look forward to as middle-aged adults and beyond.

"The diseases of adults are spitting of blood, phthisis (tuberculosis), acute fevers, epilepsy, and the greatest portion of other disease, but especially those already mentioned. Beyond this age, asthma, pleurisy, peripneumony (an inflammation of the lungs), lethargy, phrenzy, ardent fevers and chronic diarrhea prevail; likewise cholera, dysentery, lientery ( you don't want to know what this is) and hemorrhoids."

As you can see, Hippocrates was on the mark with a lot of his thoughts, way ahead of his time. I just hope he's not right about that last one.