Concept of Temperament in Greek Medicine(Unani Tibb)

It is assumed that all things in nature are composed of four primary elements i.e. fire, air, water and earth. (Azmi 1995). It does not mean that the numbers of elements in nature are four. In fact, they represent the basic division of matter which is found in universe. 

Each of them are associated with compound qualities, fire element is hot and dry, air is hot and moist, water is cold and moist and earth is cold and dry (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1974). 

Hence temperament may be defined as “the quality which is produced by actions and reactions of opposite qualities of elements, which are broken in smaller particles in order to facilitate the mixing of all particles. 

When those components interact among themselves by virtue of their respective powers (qualities), a condition is produced, which is found in equal proportions in all components of the elements” (Sina, 2010). 

In other words 'constitution' of any matter is tantamount to 'temperament'. Every organism and matter as a whole is furnished with a temperament upon which their properties and functions of life depend. 

Drugs and foods are classified according to temperament, representing unique structural composition. 

But the temperament of human body is determined by humours (body fluids) which themselves are composed of different elements.



Temperaments of Human Body:

Temperament of a person represents its physical constitution and tendencies.

Hippocrate said that the human body is composed of three parts 
i.e.
(i) Solid known as organs (aza), 
(ii) Liquid known as humours (akhlat) and
(iii) Gas known as pneuma (arwah) (). 

Scholars of the Greek Medicine has mentioned the humours and their associated qualities as: 
(i) Dam (blood) as ‘hot and moist’; 
(ii) Safra (yellow bile) as ‘hot and dry’; 
(iii) Balgham (phlegm) as ‘cold and moist’ and; 
(iv) Sauda (black bile) as ‘cold and dry’ ().


Each humour was associated with a different element, season, organ, temperament and, importantly, different qualities (as shown in the table below).


Galen, one of the ancient Unani physician, used to refer word temperament to bodily dispositions, which determined a person's susceptibility to particular diseases as well as behavioral and emotional inclinations.

Hence word temperament is often used in psychological sense but in medical sense it implies the blend of humours (biological constitution).

Now Hippocrates' identifications and Galen's Suggestions





When a person is said to have a hot temperament it means dam humour has stood dominant over other humours. 
In the same way 
  • Cold humour signifies the dominance of sauda, 
  • Dry temperament demonstrate the dominance of safra, 
  • and Moist temperament shows the dominance of phlegm.

On this assumption, human temperament is also termed as sanguineous (blood), choleric (yellow bile), phlegmatic (balgham), and melancholic (black bile)