The Evolution of the Hippocratic Oath

Abstract

                                                                                                              The Oath was the result of the new course of the greek philosophy, following the thought of Anaxagoras of Clazomenes, who joined physis and techne in a rational sequence of observations. Thus, the Oath layed the foundation for medical schools (relationship teache-pupils) and for medicine (relationship physician-patient): the rules (including prohibitions) of the Oath have been the rules of medicine for centuries, present in other rules, like the Consitutiones melphitanae of Frederick 2nd or the Prayer of Maimonides (which is a forged manuscript, made in the XVIII century, important for the contents because it is a more modern version of an Oath). Finally in the recent years the World Health Organization and National Medical Councils with public declarations or deontological codes have revised the principles of medical ethics twentyfive centuries after the hippocratic Oath.                                                Key words: Oath - Hippocrates