What was the 4 humors

Its imbalance was thought to cause depression. In fact, the word melancholy is derived from the Greek word that means black bile. Apathetic behaviors were thought to be caused from an imbalance of phlegm. The brain and lungs were believed to be the source of this humor. This version of the course is no longer available.

Need multiple seats for your university or lab? Youth was hot and moist, age cold and dry. Men as a sex were hotter and drier than women. Courtesy National Library of Medicine. Greek philosopher Aristotle BCE— BCE identified the classic four elements—earth, water, air, and fire—as the building blocks of the universe.

Greek physician Hippocrates ca. His famous treatise on Airs, Waters, and Places describes the influence of geography on the body and its humoral makeup. Born in Pergamon, Roman physician and philosopher Galen ca.

Phlegm, as Plasma or the Phlegmatic humor, is the second to arise and receives the next richest share of nutrients. It is also very plentiful, and enters the general circulation. Yellow Bile, or the Choleric humor, is the third to arise and receives a rather coarse, meager share of nutrients. It is not so plentiful.

Only a slight residue enters the general circulation; the rest is stored in the gall bladder, its receptacle, to be used as needed. Black Bile, or the Melancholic humor, is the last to arise, and receives the coarsest, most meager share of nutrients. It is the least plentiful. Only a slight residue enters the general circulation; the rest is stored in the spleen, its receptacle, to be used as needed.

The first two humors, blood and phlegm, are moist and flourishing, and are the metabolic agents of the Wet elements - Air and Water, respectively. Most of the nutrition, growth and metabolism of the organism depends on them. The last two humors, yellow bile and black bile, are dry and effete, and only needed by the organism in small amounts. They are the metabolic agents of the Dry elements - Fire and Earth, respectively. Although only needed in small amounts, they are potent and essential catalysts where needed.

Blood is Hot and Wet, or Warm and Moist. It is the very essence of vitality and health, nutrition and growth. Blood is perfect nourishment perfectly digested. Its receptacle or home is in the arteries and blood vessels.

Blood carries the Vital Force and Innate Heat, which power cellular metabolism. The essence of blood is exchange and contact, as it is the basic nutritional and metabolic currency of the organism. Blood has an Attractive virtue, or force, since all cells, organs and tissues have an absolute need for it, and are therefore attracted to it.

The Phlegmatic humor is Cold and Wet. It includes not just phlegm, but all the other clear fluids of the body: mucus, saliva, plasma, lymph, and serous and interstitial fluids. Together, these fluids cool, moisten, nourish, lubricate, protect, and purify the organism.

The Plegmatic humor has an Expulsive virtue, or force, which flushes out impurities, transports vital nutrients, and helps eliminate wastes.