Final answer:
Hippocrates is considered the "father of Western medicine" and proposed that health and illness stemmed from natural causes. This was a fundamental shift from earlier beliefs that attributed illness to supernatural forces. His ideas led to a more scientific approach to medicine, and ancient practices further reflected evolving understanding of disease and immunity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hippocrates, often referred to as the "father of Western medicine", introduced the idea that health and illness are the result of natural causes rather than supernatural forces. This marked a significant departure from previous beliefs that attributed illness to divine punishment or evil spirits. Instead, Hippocrates and his followers believed that diseases originated from factors that could be environmental or within patients themselves.
The ancient Greeks and Romans also had their own theories about disease, such as the miasma theory, which suggested that diseases were caused by bad air or 'miasmatic odors' from decomposing matter. These civilizations implemented sanitation practices to combat what they believed were the sources of illness, including building infrastructure like aqueducts and sewers. Moreover, the historian Thucydides contributed to the understanding of diseases by noting the immunity developed by survivors of the Athenian plague, indicating an early grasp of the concept of immunity.
Overall, Hippocrates' view led to a more scientific approach to understanding health and illness, laying the groundwork for modern medicine and its focus on natural, observable causes of disease rather than supernatural explanations.