W, P), food and drink, and lifestyle on the body. Food and drink are presented
authoritatively but summarily, hence the need for G’s supplements in On the Powers of
Foods. The third develops the role of bathing, exercise and daily regime in maintaining
health, while recognizing the impact of work and limited resources on the majority of the
population. The fourth reviews the production and significance of dreams. The integration
of diet, health and cosmology is comparable to Chinese and Indian medicine. The action
of bodily heat and fluids (or “humors”) on fluids of ingested plants and animals underpins
the Hippokratic system of humors (which varies between different groups of treatises).
These treatises are powerfully located in the thought of the late 5th c. BCE and reflect the
importance of lifestyle in maintaining good health, in preference to treatment by drugs
(themselves often essences of foods) or surgery. The point is reinforced in Regimen in Acute
Diseases (next) where the patient’s life is under serious threat. Joly (1960) and Joly and Byl
(1984) present major reviews of the scholarly debate.
Regimen in Acute Diseases: this work has been much discussed, not least by Gale ̄n
in an important commentary, because of its explicit attack from the very first sentence on
the Knidiai Gnomai of the “Cnidian School,” its links with H E, and
its possible relationship to Regimen I, A M, some of the E, and
Fractures and Joints (see H C, S), among other treatises. The
treatise, apparently written in the later 5th c. BCE, is designed for use by professional phys-
icians in critical cases, particularly fevers. The key treatment is varied preparations of barley
water (with careful regulation of food), from which the patient progresses to stronger liquids
(honey and water, vinegar and water, and wine). An Appendix (of disputed authenticity)
discusses certain conditions, prognostics and therapy. An important Arabic translation pre-
serves Regimen but not the Appendix. Kühlewein edited the text (1894), and summaries of
the scholarly debate appear in Jouanna 1992: 559–560, Joly 1972 (with French translation),
and Jones 1931 (with English translation).
Regimen in Health: a short treatise transmitted with Nature of Man and normally
considered with it, Regimen in Health sets out dietary requirements according to
season, bodily state, and exercise taken by the ordinary person (men who take moderate
exercise) – women, children, and athletes are considered as special cases. Particular atten-
tion is given to emetics and clysters. The treatise may date to the late 5th c., like Nature of
Man, though some doubt surrounds its integrity, not least the quotations from other treatises
at the end.
Use Of Liquids: this work complements Regimen I–IV, Regimen in Acute Diseases and other
treatises in concentrating on external applications of fresh water, salt water, vinegar and
wine. Heating and cooling are major issues, along with moistening and drying, and cleans-
ing and softening – all according to the medical condition of the patient and consequent
state of the skin. The treatise, difficult to read and to date, contains many obscurities as if
the text were merely reference notes – but is closely related to A 5 and is cited
frequently in E and Gale ̄n. Heiberg edited the text (1927) and Joly (1972) and
Potter include useful editorial comments, translations and summaries of the scholarly
debate.
Ed.: J.L. Heiberg, CMG 1.1.1 (1927); Jones (1931); R. Joly, Hippocrate v. 6.2: Du regime des maladies aigues,
Appendice, De l’Aliment, De l’Usage des liquides (CUF 1972); R. Joly and S. Byl, Hippocrate: du Regime =
CMG 1.2.4 (1984); H. Kühlewein, Hippocrates: Opera Omnia 1 (1894); Potter (1995).
R. Joly, Recherches sur le traité pseudo-hippocratique du regime (1960); J. Jouanna, Hippocrate (1992).
J.M. Wilkins
HIPPOKRATIC CORPUS, REGIMEN