The genuine works of Hippocrates, Vol. 1 (of 2) - Hippocrates

The earliest modern authority is Lemos, whose work was published in the end of the sixteenth century. It appears that he follows almost entirely the opinions of Galen, and seldom or never ventures to exercise an independent judgment of his own.

The work of Mercuriali is a much more elaborate and important performance, and his principles of judgment appear to me most unexceptionable, being founded entirely upon ancient authority and peculiarity of style; only it may, perhaps, be objected, that he rather exaggerates the importance of the latter at the expense of the former; for it must be admitted that very contradictory conclusions have sometimes been founded on imaginary peculiarities of style. I cannot agree with M. Littré, however, that the whole system of Mercuriali is founded on a petitio principii; as if, before describing the style of his author, he ought to have decided which were his genuine writings.[73] For, as already stated, any one is perfectly warranted in assuming that certain of the works which bear the name of Hippocrates are genuine, and from them, and the general voice of antiquity, Mercuriali was further justified in deciding what are the peculiarities of the style of Hippocrates, and in applying them as a test of the genuineness of other works which had been attributed to the same author. Mercuriali divides the Hippocratic treatises into four classes, as follows: The first comprehends those which bear the characters of his doctrine and style. The second comprises those which are composed of notes taken from memory, and published by Thessalus, Polybus, or other of his disciples, and contain foreign matter interpolated with them. The third class consists of those which have not been composed by Hippocrates, but are the work of his sons or disciples, and represent his doctrines with greater or less exactness. The fourth includes those tracts which have nothing to do with the school of Hippocrates. As the views and principles of Mercuriali accord, in the main, very well with my own, I think it proper to set down his classification of the treatises.

CLASSIS I.

De Natura Humana.
De Aëribus, Aquis, et Locis.
Aphorismi.
Prognostica.
De Morbis popularibus.
De Morbis acutis.
De Vulneribus Capitis.
De Fracturis.
De Articulis.
De Officina Medici.
Mochlicus.
De Alimento.
De Humoribus.
De Ulceribus.

CLASSIS II.

De Locis in Homine.
De Flatibus.
De Septimestri Partu.
De Octimestri Partu.
De Ossibus.

CLASSIS III.

De Carnibus seu Principiis.
De Genitura.
De Natura Pueri.
De Affectionibus.
De Affectionibus internis.
De Morbis.
De Natura Muliebri.
De Morbis Muliebribus.
De Sterilibus.
De Fœtatione et Superfœtatione.
De Virginium Morbis.
De Sacro Morbo.
De Hemorrhoidibus.
De Fistulis.
De Salubri Diæta.
De Diæta, tres Libri.
De Usu Liquidorum.
De Judicationibus.
De Diebus Judicatoriis.
Prædictionum Libri.
Coacæ Prænotiones.
De Insomniis.

CLASSIS IV.

Jusjurandum.
Præceptiones.
De Lege.
De Arte.
De Arte Veteri.
De Medico.
De Decenti Ornatu.
De Exsectione Fœtus.
De Resectione Corporum.
De Corde.
De Glandulis.
De Dentitione.
De Visu.
Epistolæ.
De Medicamentis purgantibus |Latinè tantum.[74]
De Hominis Structura |