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[Gout in the Corpus Hippocraticum].
Natale Gaspare De Santo1, Carmela Bisaccia2, Luca S De Santo3
1Emeritus Professor of Nephrology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli.
Summary
Gout, an ancient inflammatory arthritis, was viewed by Hippocrates as an imbalance of bodily humors, not divine wrath. His writings describe gout symptoms and treatment considerations for different patient groups.
Area of Science:
- Medical History
- Rheumatology
- Classical Studies
Background:
- Gout is the oldest known inflammatory arthritis, documented since ancient times.
- Its cause, hyperuricemia leading to sodium urate deposition, has been debated for millennia.
- Early therapeutic approaches involved colchicine, with allopurinol representing a major modern advancement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the portrayal and understanding of gout within the Corpus Hippocraticum.
- To investigate Hippocrates' etiological and therapeutic perspectives on gout.
Main Methods:
- Textual analysis of the Corpus Hippocraticum, specifically focusing on mentions of gout and podagra.
- Examination of aphorisms and descriptions related to gout's symptoms, causes, and prognosis.
Main Results:
- Gout is mentioned 20 times in the Corpus Hippocraticum, with five aphorisms dedicated to podagra.
- Hippocrates attributed gout to an imbalance of bile and phlegm, rejecting divine causation.
- Descriptions detail gout's burning joint pains, variable severity, and paroxysmal nature.
Conclusions:
- Hippocrates conceptualized gout as a humoral disease, distinct from supernatural causes.
- His work provides early clinical descriptions of gout and differentiates treatment approaches based on patient age and adherence.
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