Conditions Associated with Black Bile in Ancient Medicine
Ancient physicians believed that the spleen served as a reservoir for black bile in the body. Whenever there was an excess of this humor, it would overflow into the stomach and large intestine, leading to various digestive problems such as indigestion, gas, distension, bloating, constipation, and other related issues. Furthermore, the presence of black bile would gradually spread to other organs, causing damage along the way.
According to the humor theory, black bile had a light nature, causing it to rise towards the head and result in unpleasant symptoms like tinnitus, dizziness, insomnia, and vertigo. Physicians of that time also associated black bile with conditions such as jaundice, embolisms, sexual dysfunction, and arthritis.
Understanding the Link Between Black Bile and Cancer
The ancient Romans were among the first to attribute the occurrence of cancer to black bile, a concept that gained widespread acceptance in the field of ancient medicine. This theory was embraced by renowned physician Galen, who extensively wrote about the connection between black bile and cancer in his medical texts. As a result, this belief became deeply ingrained in the medical community for over 1300 years, with few daring to challenge or debunk it.