Hippocrates /hipok″rətēz/ , a Greek physician born about 460 bc on the island of Cos, a center for the worship of Aesculapius. Called the “Father of Medicine,” Hippocrates introduced a scientific approach to healing by seeking physical causes of disease rather than magic or mythic relationships used by members of the Aesculapian cults of the time. He also compiled case records of illnesses, including results of treatments administered, and developed the art of ethical bedside care. See also Hippocratic oath.
