On the Sacred Disease

"On the Sacred Disease," written by Hippocrates, is an ancient medical text that describes epilepsy, which he viewed as a natural condition rather than a divine punishment. Hippocrates emphasized that epilepsy is caused by a disturbance in the brain, similar to other physical illnesses, and should be understood through observation and study rather than superstition. This work marked a significant shift towards scientific thinking about health, encouraging physicians to approach diseases as natural phenomena with identifiable causes, promoting rational treatment instead of attributing symptoms to divine or spiritual forces.