The Law

Hippocrates. Oeuvres complètes d'Hippocrate, Vol. 4. Littré, Émile, editor. Paris: Baillière, 1844

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This work is a brief, declarative treatise that addresses the ideal state of medicine—the most noble of all arts—and the essential conditions required to train a true physician. The author begins by lamenting the contemporary decline of medicine, fiercely criticizing the status quo where unqualified impostors tarnish its reputation due to a lack of legal penalties and widespread ignorance. To counter this, the author explains the prerequisites for becoming a genuine physician, using an agricultural metaphor of soil, seeds, and diligent farming to illustrate the necessity of natural talent, proper education, early training, and long dedication. Ultimately, the work concludes that only those who undergo this rigorous training can be recognized as true physicians, possessing a sacred knowledge that must be kept secret from the uninitiated. In doing so, the treatise solemnly emphasizes the gravity of medical education and the ethical responsibilities inherent in the profession.