400BC
Humoral Theory
The ancient Greek theory is often credited to Hippocrates (460–370 BCE) and was relevant up until around the 19th century. It suggests the body is comprised of four bodily humors - blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile.
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The make-up of these fluids, along with that of the individual and their environment, would determine the body’s physical and mental health, as well as their personality and temperament.
The humors were also said to be associated with body parts, seasons, stages of life, and celestial bodies.
It was believed an imbalance between these four interactions would be the cause of the body’s dis-ease or suffering related to a person’s state of health.
By the 19th century the Humoral theory lost relevance as evidence supporting a germ theory suggested transmission and cause of disease.