CLAUDIUS GALEN

Known as: Galen/ Galen of Pergamum

Date of birth: 130 A.D.

Place of birth: Pergamum (Presently Turkey)

Professions: Physician, Biologist, Philospher

Quotations from Galen:

If sometimes dreams come true, what of our nightmares?

The best physician is also a philosopher.
That which is, grows, while that which is not, becomes.
Diogenes compared them to fig-trees growing over precipices; for their fruit was devoured by daws
and crows, not by men.
Employment is Nature's physician, and is essential to human happiness.

Early Life:

Galen was a son of a wealthy architect, Aeius Nicon, who ensured his high quality education.
Galen was well versed in philosophy specifically Epicurean and Aristotelian philospophy
After his father dreamt of Aesculapius, god of medicine, he sent Galen to study medicine in
Asclepion
His father died when he was 19 years old
He continued his medical education in Smyrna (Izmir, Turkey) and finished his studies in
Alexandria.

Career:

His first post was as a physician for gladiators which helped him in his passion for anatomy
In 166 A.D. he returned in Pergamon called upon by emperor, Marcus Aurelius, to treat roman troops
who was affected by severe outbreak of a plague
Galen became a physician to the emperors son, Commodus
Later on retired to Rome to continue his writing, lecturing and public demonstration
He considered philosophy vital in a physicians training

Contributions:

Three varieties of pneuma (Vital energy)

Four Faculties if the organism
Galen strongly believed in Aristotelian doctrine that in nature form follows function hence he made
various dissection and vivisections on animals to figure out by inference and experiment how the
human body was structured, and how it worked.
Galenic Degrees which helps physician to gauge effects of medicinal substance more precisely
 Galen invented medical formula called Theriac, sometimes called Theriac Venesian or Venice Treacle,
which is a mix of 64 different ingredients that can cure many diseases and antidote for posion
Written a book called De Pulsibus which addresses pulse diagnosis
Galen has written over 80 different medical treatise most of which today are lost.