Hippocratic Oath

The Hippocratic Oath comes up a lot in TV dramas. I will confess that before today all I knew about it was that it includes something about not hurting people. Will apparently it's named after a man named Hippocrates who is considered the father of medicine. I began thinking about Hippocrates and his oath because he was mentioned (briefly) in one of my reading. In the fifth century BC Hypocrates wrote that rainwater should be boiled and he also invented a cloth bag to strain rain water. Straining your water through cloth is  simple water treatment that people  often forget. 

That got me wondering about Hippocrates and his oath. So I looked it up. Honestly I find it pretty silly. Many medical students still choose to swear an oath of some kind. Not surprisingly, however, it is only rarely the original Hippocratic Oath. 

 Here is a translation that I found on Wikipidia.

I swear by Apollo, the healer, Asclepius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement:

To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art; and that by my teaching, I will impart a knowledge of this art to my own sons, and to my teacher's sons, and to disciples bound by an indenture and oath according to the medical laws, and no others.

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.

I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or men, be they free or slaves.

All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all humanity and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my life.