It is noteworthy that many doctors reproach the text of the Hippocratic oath. She actually became a household name. Here are just few at least once read the full version of the text of the Hippocratic oath in Russian. And the layman hardly knows what the doctor from antiquity bequeathed to his colleagues. The text of the Hippocratic oath was written in the 5th century BC.
What it is
Medicine was once considered a succession. There were separate surnames that have been involved in this field for centuries. Written in ancient Greek, the Hippocratic oath was a kind of charter, the provisions of which were passed down from generation to generation. It was they who allowed this caste to remain quite closed, and to protect the secrets of medical skill from unauthorized persons. The oath was a valuable document that formed the basis of the activity of ancient physicians.
Plato in his writings noted that during his lifetime, doctors conducted paid training. But there is no mention of this in the Hippocratic oath. It states that the student, in fact, becomes part of the teacher’s family. Once in the ranks of doctors, he began to behave in a special way.
The ancient oath had a great influence on the development of the medical industry. She was taken as a basis for training many generations of doctors.
Comments
Comments on this ancient text help clarify what the Hippocratic oath is. So, Apollo was once considered a doctor of the gods. Asclepius was his son, later it was he who became the patron of people involved in the healing. Hygiea was his daughter, this is the goddess of health. It is noteworthy that on her behalf came the modern word "hygiene". Panakeia was the second daughter of Asclepius. From this name came the modern word "panacea". It was her cure for all diseases that the doctors of the Middle Ages were looking for.
Listed in the original oath and varieties of instructions. It contained information about the oral teaching of medicine. In the days of Aristotle, the word ακροασις was used to refer to lectures given to students. Processing them, readers subsequently published them separately.
The oath mentions that the doctor should not resort to lithotomy. This is a surgical intervention, widespread in ancient Egypt, in ancient Greece. Probably, it was produced by professionals, united in a separate caste. It was they who kept the secrets of competent operation. And the doctor, in accordance with the oath of Hippocrates, simply did not invade “foreign territory” in which he did not have sufficient knowledge. There is no reason to believe that such surgical intervention was considered something not worthy of a doctor.
The oath contains a provision prohibiting the physician from divulging medical confidentiality. As a result, it was from here that a legislative ban was adopted, adopted in many countries of the world, on the disclosure of secrets obtained in the course of medical activity. However, in the Hippocratic oath, this phenomenon is considered even more broadly: it was understood that the doctor would not disclose anything concerning things that could become incriminating to the patient. And it was not only about treatment. The doctor should not have been a gossip, because it undermined public confidence in him and the whole caste.
Document Specifications
Thus, in the text there are many archaic moments associated with faith in the divine. In those days, it was believed that Hippocrates himself came from the god of medicine Asclepius. The document regulated the relationship between colleagues, mentors, and patients. A system of rewards and punishments was introduced.
About a third of the document was set aside for the regulation of relations between mentors and students. It indicates that free training is provided only for a narrow circle of people. Disseminating knowledge was not recommended. Medicine was considered a business in which people from outside were simply not dedicated. Her secrets were protected very carefully, competition flourished in the society of ancient people in this area. Half the space in the full oath of Hippocrates was allotted directly to the process of therapy. And even less - the requirements for the preservation of medical secrets.
Priorities in the ancient document are indicated very clearly. It does not say here that the doctor owes to everyone, regardless of working conditions. However, in the post-Soviet space, citizens still believe that the full version of the Hippocratic oath contains words that the physician will give his entire life to the free treatment of people until the end of his life. This is only a consequence of the interpretation of the ancient document, which for many years has been introduced into the mass consciousness of Soviet people.
Soviet years
During the existence of the Soviet Union, the full version of the text of the Hippocratic oath has been rewritten several times. It was adapted to the current situation. She also underwent indoctrination. As a result, it was believed that medical work was used in places where the interests of society directly demanded that the doctor should always be ready to provide assistance to the patient.
Another crucial point of the Soviet full version of the Hippocratic oath in Russian was the obligation to follow the principles of communist morality. The struggle for peace was proclaimed, for the prevention of nuclear war. A separate item noted the high calling of Soviet doctors, their presence of responsibility to the population and the state.
If you compare the original original of the Hippocratic oath and the Soviet adapted version, you can easily come to the conclusion that in ancient times, doctors obviously lived better. They had great freedom. The Soviet oath demanded the creation of an ideal image of selfless doctors. At the same time, medical art was denied as a value that needs to be preserved. From the Soviet oath of Hippocrates in Russian, words were deleted that the doctor would "heal in accordance with my strength and my mind."
The original version proclaimed that the responsibility was assigned to the doctor at the time when he agreed to conduct therapy for a particular patient. In the Soviet period, the obligation began to apply to all cases in general.
And such a vision of medical art is preserved to this day in Russian society. Once at the table with the doctor at any event, people begin to ask him about advice, talk about their health problems. While, for example, no one asks plumbers to immediately go to check the pipes. The thing is in the beliefs rooted in the mass consciousness regarding the text of the Hippocratic oath in Russian.
Initially, this oath implied that the doctor would rely on his own beliefs and ideas about good and evil during therapy. However, in Russia, thought was transformed into an indispensable obligation to follow not its own, but public morality. And the point is not even in the structure of the Soviet state, but in the mentality of the Russians. For centuries, similar features have been manifested in a nation in a wide variety of fields.
Other options
Even before the 1917 revolution in Russia, doctors, giving promises, also cited a commitment to be ready for treatment around the clock. At the same time, it was noted there that the doctor would help “according to his best understanding,” and not under the influence of anyone else.
In the 1990s, the traditional full text of the Hippocratic oath in Russian lost its relevance. And the oath of the doctor of the Russian Federation was introduced. It was actually an original ancient oath. During the uncertainty in the state, it was decided to return to the long-forgotten sources. However, an obligation was proclaimed here to help everyone, regardless of nationality, faith, or belief. The help of the doctor was rendered even to “enemies”.
But by the end of the 1990s, a transformation took place in society. And in 1999, the oath of the doctor was introduced. And, answering the question of whether Hippocrates swore an oath, professionals indicate it. It is this text from 1999 that is still pronounced in the country.
It contains the requirements of honest performance of medical duty, willingness to provide assistance, act in the interests of patients, not use euthanasia, be demanding of students, and develop the traditions of medicine. There are more than a dozen items to be executed.
Oath Breach
Finding out what the Hippocratic oath is, you need to take into account that liability for violation of its provisions under the laws of the Russian Federation. The ancient text was supplemented by considerations of political correctness. Now in the full text of the Hippocratic oath in Russian it is indicated that the doctor is treated without regard to sex, race, language, religion. The rest of the oath duplicates the Soviet version. For the most part, the attitude towards the doctor has remained the same and it is often proclaimed unethical.
Responsibility has become even stronger - in Soviet times, the punishment for violating the provisions of the oath was not fixed at the legislative level. Now it is spelled out in law.
But it must be borne in mind that in any case, the text of the Hippocratic oath in Russian remains rather vague, and it is hardly possible to determine from it why it is necessary to hold the doctor accountable and not for that. The definition of what constitutes a crime in the medical sphere and what is not is available in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. More than 20 articles in it are reserved for cases directly related to the activities of doctors.
Difficulties of modern interpretation
The formulations presented in the text of the Hippocratic oath in Russian mostly serve the interests of the ruling elites. Indeed, according to them, the doctor bears all responsibility, which means that the state will have nothing to do with it.
Even if the system is built in such a way that the state is not able to provide all patients with medics, according to the text, the doctors remain responsible. There is a point of view according to which, for this reason, there is a constant pitting of doctors and patients in the media. A lot of articles are published daily, mentioning the illiteracy of doctors, that they without reason require payment for their work.
A very vague definition of what the Hippocratic oath is and what it suggests is beneficial to society. A person, being in a stressful position, has the ability to search around the guilty. Only rare strong-minded people take responsibility for what is happening on themselves, not trying to shift it to others. And if the doctor did not cope with the treatment, his patients will easily be accused of negligence, violation of these oaths.
Not all citizens are aware of the current situation of modern medicine, especially in many settlements of Russia. There often is simply no equipment necessary for an accurate diagnosis, and it is also difficult to find some types of the latest and most recognized drugs in the civilized world. And the personal qualities of a doctor have little effect on this situation.
From a young age, Russian citizens live with the belief that medicine is free. And they tend to completely shift the responsibility for their health onto the shoulders of doctors. It is believed that he took an oath, which means he must heal. And such a conviction is found even in those patients who are in no hurry to follow the doctor's recommendations.
Antiquity and modernity
Thus, understanding what the Hippocratic oath is in ancient times and in modern times is very different. Initially, it was a code of honor that regulated relations within a fairly closed society. And it was not established in it that the doctor undertakes to treat everyone. There were no obligations regarding what was in his duties. The main requirement is to do everything possible once the therapy has been started. However, the specialist retained the right to refuse treatment.
East and West
It is noteworthy that the oaths for doctors introduced in the countries of the first world by some provisions contradict the ancient original. For example, the ancient text introduced a ban on euthanasia, while in modern states it is allowed at the legislative level. And the provision of medical assistance to terrorists in the United States, for example, is recognized as an illegal act. This is followed by criminal prosecution.
In 2002, with the assistance of American and European experts, an international charter of medical professionalism was developed. The principles associated with the patient’s right to make a final decision, the need to inform patients about everything related to their treatment, are proclaimed here. From the original oath of Hippocrates in the language of the ancient Hellenes came points on the preservation of medical secrets, the inadmissibility of sexual relations, and the use of official position to achieve personal gain.
A new aspect in modern international medical oath has been the duty of doctors to inform about all conflicts of interest that occur in the field of medicine. For example, about the disagreement between the pharmaceutical industry and the insurance company. In the West, the fact that medicine is a profession, work, and not the meaning of life, as it is considered in Russia, is proclaimed.
Secrets of the origin of the oath
Despite the fact that the oath at the moment in all countries of the world is in its adapted version, everywhere it has its own special meaning, the doctor from the island of Kos is still the universally recognized “father of medicine”. It's about Hippocrates.
He was a hereditary doctor, translated into Russian, his name meant "horse manager." In other words, a coachman. However, it was believed that his genealogy went back to the god of medicine Asclepius. For this reason, it is with an appeal to this god and his family that the oath famous all over the world begins.
At the age of 20, Hippocrates was already known as a valuable specialist in the field of medicine. He practiced it very actively, like his whole family. He argued that the doctor should be able to identify in what condition the patient is already in appearance. In therapy, he actively used the properties of medicinal herbs. It is known that he knew more than 200 varieties. As a rule, Hippocrates did not recommend combining several means at the same time. It was he who stood at the origins of the “do no harm” principle, which is actively used by modern physicians.
There is evidence that Hippocrates advocated a long stay of patients in the fresh air, gymnastics, swimming, and dieting. And he developed the theory of 4 temperaments. He believed that in the body there is a constant interaction of 4 fluids - sangwa, chole, mucus and bile. And each person had their own ratio. If the original proportion was violated, the individual began to suffer from a mental disorder. From this theory the theory of sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, and melancholic temperaments grew. It is not known what the life span of the “father of medicine” was. According to some historians, he died at the age of 83, and was buried in Thessaly. Legends say that bees produced special healing honey at the grave.
The creation of the Hippocratic oath is shrouded in many myths and misconceptions. It is noteworthy that the oath that doctors give in many states of the world, in fact, has no authorship. This also applies to more than 6 dozen medical works from the Hippocratic Corps. They have been written by doctors from a closed caste for many centuries. These works are the result of centuries of collective work, including the experience of many generations of doctors.
Not much is known about the real personality of the famous doctor. But at one time it was the most famous specialist. There is evidence that Hippocrates once taught medical wisdom, charging a fee for this. His biography was restored according to fragmentary information from ancient sources.
Original text
It should be borne in mind that most of the ancient Greek doctors lived without distress. They collected very large fees from their patients. The work of physicians in ancient society was especially highly valued, because it was a closed caste, in which the secrets of healing were carefully guarded. And simply the inhabitants could not know about them. At the same time, doctors did not shy away from charity.
It is known that Hippocrates published his "Instructions." In them, he advised students to apply a different approach to payment from patients. He called for the denial of inhumane behavior, sometimes advised to treat for free, valuing good memory above glory.
Comments on this manual diverge. Indeed, on the one hand, this may be a testament to the advice to advertise for yourself at charity events. On the other hand, it can be considered as a mention of the importance of medical care for people and the conjugation of this profession with the ethical side and humanity.
There are also separate lines regarding the ingratitude of patients. Hippocrates advises against caring for payment before treatment. The best solution, he recognized the attention to the glory of the doctor. He advised rather to reproach those already saved than to talk about paying those who are in danger due to illness.
It is noteworthy that information has been preserved that the original version of the medical oath of ancient times called for saving not just “the health of my patients”, but “not everyone, but only those who could pay for their recovery ...”.
It is known that in the practice of Hippocrates directly there were cases of violation of the oath. So, in 380 BC, the doctor began to rescue the patient Acracheritis. He was poisoned by poison. The doctor, having provided first aid, began to ask for payment. When they refused him, he offered to give the patient poison so that he would not suffer. And the relatives agreed. As a result, what the original poison failed to do, the Hippocratic remedy completed.
It is believed that much later appeared the image of a doctor-benefactor, who tried on an ancient healer. As a result, moral principles were formed that least of all took into account the interests of the specialist directly. Today, it is this ideal that guides society in interacting with doctors. Public morality remains quite severe regarding medical workers. Since ancient times, from valuable specialists whose work was highly valued, they managed to transform into people from whom they are expected and demand low-paid, sometimes gratuitous work for the benefit of "society", citing Hippocrates' distorted oath as a reproach.