Black Bile

Black bile is one of the four bodily humors in ancient and medieval medicine, alongside blood, phlegm, and yellow bile. It was thought to be a dark, thick fluid produced by the spleen. In the context of the humoral theory, an excess of black bile was believed to cause melancholia or depression. This concept reflects the historical understanding that physical and emotional health were interconnected. Although black bile is no longer recognized in modern medicine, its influence can still be seen in terms like "melancholy," which derives from the Greek word for "black bile."