Galen of Pergamon
A prominent physician and surgeon in the Roman Empire whose extensive writings dominated Western medicine for over a millennium.
Most quoted
"I have done as much for medicine as Trajan did for the Roman Empire when he built the bridges and roads through Italy. It is I, and I alone, who have revealed the true path of medicine."
— from On My Own Books
"All who drink of this remedy recover in a short time, except those whom it does not help, who all die. Therefore, it is obvious that it fails only in incurable cases."
— from On the Therapeutic Method
"I have often seen physicians, when they have failed to cure a disease, blame the patient's constitution, or the stars, or anything but their own ignorance."
— from On the Natural Faculties
All quotes by Galen of Pergamon (337)
To understand the body, one must understand the soul.
Many remedies are more dangerous than the disease they are meant to cure.
The physician who never makes a mistake never learns.
I have often found that a good laugh is the best medicine.
The most difficult part of medicine is to know when not to act.
Some physicians are so busy with their theories, they forget the patient.
The wise physician treats the patient, not just the disease.
I have often seen patients recover despite their physicians, not because of them.
The physician who promises a quick cure is either a fool or a charlatan.
A good physician is like a good general: he knows when to attack and when to retreat.
The greatest enemy of health is luxury.
I have often found that the best way to learn is to teach.
Many physicians are more concerned with their reputation than with their patients' health.
The physician who does not examine the patient thoroughly is like a blind man trying to find his way.
The most important tool of a physician is his mind.
I have often seen physicians who are more skilled at talking than at healing.
The physician who thinks he knows everything knows nothing.
It is better to prevent a disease than to cure it.
The physician who ignores the patient's diet is like a builder who ignores the foundation.
Many physicians are like cooks: they mix ingredients without understanding their properties.
Contemporaries of Galen of Pergamon
Other Medicines born within 50 years of Galen of Pergamon (129–216).