The Natural State of Medical Practice

In this, the second volume of The Natural State of Medical Practice, new translations from the Greek of several Hippocratic works by Dr. Adams confirm and expand the evidence of clinical acuity and scientific nature of Hippocratic physicians, and an updated wordlist and phraselist oriented to clinical translation of their medical writings is provided. Translation of a section from the Histories of Thucydides supports the contention that “Hippocratic” medicine preceded the legendary Hippocrates, and translation and explication of the famous Oath declare its primacy in the history of medicine. The clinical insights of Hippocratic physicians, as displayed in this volume, support the claim in volume 1 of this work that ancient Greek physicians initiated the natural state of medical practice, did so over a period of approximately two hundred years, and, had they been permitted to continue unfettered, would have approached early 20th century Western medicine in effectiveness before the Christian era.

William H. Adams, MD, FACP, DCMT(London), an internist with the subspecialty of hematology and with clinical credentials in tropical medicine, began his translations of Hippocratic medical treatises while on the staff at a large municipal hospital in New York City. His application of modern knowledge in medicine and physiology to several works of Hippocrates provides an updated perspective on the clinical competence of ancient Greek medical colleagues, one that is even more favorable than prior translations. Beyond that, the new version provides practical support for the surprising conclusions of volume 1 of this work, The Natural State of Medical Practice: An Isagorial Theory of Human Progress.