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Hippocrates Impact On Society

Decent Essays

Hippocrates, referred to by some as “the father of medicine”, once said, “Declare the past, diagnose the present, foretell the future.” Although medicine has certainly come a long way since Hippocrates’s time, the premise remains the same. In fact, the modern definition of medicine sounds profoundly similar to the words of Hippocrates. While many people know medicine to be the products found at their local pharmacy, it is actually denoted by the Oxford Dictionary as “the science or practice of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease” (“Medicine”). Contrary to what the Oxford Dictionary (and Hippocrates) say, however, medicine cannot be defined simply as a field of science, but something much deeper; medicine is defined by the lives …show more content…

Some situations are so mundane that people do not even realize how medicine has affected them. One does not need to lay in a hospital bed for medicine work its magic. When someone has a headache or migraine, they do not sit around and wait for it to go away, they take medicine and within an hour the pain dissipates. For teenagers battling raging hormones and beginning to break out, medicine can treat their blemishes and make them feel more confident. Those who suffer from allergies might have to take medicine every single day to prevent puffy eyes and runny noses. Medicine is often taken for granted in these dilemmas, but nonetheless it continues working to improve lives. These instances define what medicine means, and while other sciences may claim to benefit mankind, none do so as often as …show more content…

Albeit some problems like headaches, acne, and allergies are not life threatening, times of crisis in which life hangs require more drastic medicine. Cancer patients have hope because medicine has provided a number of potential treatment options such as radiation therapy, surgery, and immunotherapy. Today, a cancer diagnosis is no longer synonymous with a death sentence. Furthermore, individuals with diseases or deformities that previously caused premature death now have normal life expectancies thanks to medicine. In fact, since 1950, the average lifespan in the United States has increased by over ten years as a result of medical advancements (“Medical”). Even in the wake of tragic incidents like a car accident or shooting, medicine can heal the extensive damage and give people another chance to live. A stroll through any hospital will quickly reveal the true definition of medicine.
Even though Hippocrates may have been dead-on with his description of medicine compared to today’s dictionary definition, both are ultimately an inaccurate portrayal of what medicine really means. It is not a science involving the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease—medicine simply refers to the idea of improving and saving lives, one person at a

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