The Ancient Greek Focus on Health
In Greece around 1500 B.C. we find the temples of Asklepios, the great Greek healer. The temples were run by priests. They were beautiful airy structures, distinguished by their healthful locations, situated on hillsides overlooking the sea, in groves, or near mineral hot springs. These hospitals of the day served hundreds of thousands of Greeks for nearly 1500 years. They give us great insight into the care and treatment received by the sick at the height of one of the greatest civilizations in recorded history. Many historical descriptions remained to give us a clear picture of the effective healthcare measures utilized by the perfect Greek bodies once living beings that are now immortalized for us in stone.
Like our ancient ancestors the priests knew to rely on what nature provides. They understood that the natural biological needs of life that are part of our species heritage includes fresh air water sunshine food rest and sleep peaceful and beautiful surroundings exercise and a loving supportive and emotional environment had to be met in order for the ailing to recover.
That we in the present have forgotten this is aptly demonstrative of our modern existence. During the last century we located our hospitals amid the 10 yards and slaughter pens and other places that emitted files stenches. Today we locate them in crowded cities on busy streets where exists the greatest concentration of carbon monoxide and traffic noise, and they are as noisy inside as out. A modern hospital is like Grand Central Station, all noise and hubbub, and is filled with smoking physicians, nurses, orderlies, patients and visitors soft drinks are sold on each floor and everybody guzzles those popular poisons. The stench of chemicals or friends the nose while tranquilizers substitute for quietness. It is to the eternal credit of the ancient Greek priests that they provided the pleasing perfumes of flowers instead of the files stenches of drugs and melody of music instead of the roar of the buffing machines in the halls.
Citation
a) Handbook of Greek Philosophy: From Thales to the Stoics: Analysis and Fragments by Nikolaos Bakalis p25
b) Handbook of Greek Philosophy: From Thales to the Stoics: Analysis and Fragments by Nikolaos Bakalis p.43-44
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