Cancer as a disease is not an entity of the resent times, bus it has
existed since the ancient years, as it is ascertained from the Professor
and Academian Arist. Kouzis (1872-1961), who researched the works
of the ancient Greek Doctors: Hippocrates, Galen, Dioscuridis, Rufus,
Aretaios, Oribasius, Aetios and others. His study, which was received
the Symboulidiun award in 1902, presented the results of his research
regarding their ideas about cancer.
Through this study it is substantiated that the ancient Greek doctors,
who gave the name cancer to that disease, knew a lot about cancer.
Speciffically Arist. Kouzis writes on page 92, "even from Hippocrates
everything about cancer had been noticed and wonderfully described,
its contamination, spreading, regression and its macroscopic pathological-anatomical
changes, the principal symptoms and the beginning of the removal
of neoplasm with its roots from healthy tissues".
This study had been published a hundred and more years ago and
it was difficult to be found, even in the libraries. For this reason
it has been republished with an Introduction, Index and Edition
by Dr. Dem. Karaberopoulos, giving so the opportunity to every doctor
and interested intellectual to have access.
The re-edition completed with a). The Index, which would be an
necessary reference to readers and students, b). An Introduction
for Arist. Kouzis, who got involved in cancer research and was the
founder of the Hellenic Anticancer Institute and also Saint Sabbas"
Hospital and c). The catalogue of Kouzis' works in the History of
Medicine, which come up to eighty four, as our research has shown
up to now.
At the beginning of this publication two characteristic sayings
of Arist. Kouzis are cited, which were selected by the editor of
the publication: "Lets wish the cause of cancer to be found
quickly and therapy for it, especially from a Hellenic Laboratory"
and the second one "Although it seems a great, rapid and substantial
discovery …it is always a result of some other discoveries, which
are concluded by previous doctors".
The book is in series No. 2 in the "Library of History of
Medicine", of which Dr. Dem. Karaberopoulos is in charge and
whose study "The medical European knowledge in the Greek region,
1745-1821", Athens 2003, was the beginning of this series.
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