The Hippocratic Oath
I swear by Apollo the Physician, and Asklepios and
Hygieia, and all the Gods and Goddesses that, according to my ability and
judgment, I will keep this oath and this syngraphe ('contract'):
to consider him who taught me this Art as dear to
me as my parent, to share my substance with him, and to relieve his necessities
if required; to look upon his offspring as equivalent to my own brothers,
and to teach them this Art, if they wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation;
and that by precept, lecture, and every other form
of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and
those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath
according to the law of medicine, but to none others.
I will follow that system of regimen which, according
to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients and
abstain from whatever is harmful and mischievous.
I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked,
nor suggest any such advice; likewise, I will not give a pessary to a woman
to induce abortion.
I will live my life and practice my art with purity
and holiness.
I will not cut persons suffering from 'the stone',
but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this skill.
Whatever houses I enter, I will enter for the benefit of the sick, and
will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption, and especially
from the seduction of females or males, of free persons or slaves.
Whatever I see or hear in connection with my professional
practice or not in the life of men, which should not be made public, I
will not divulge, considering that all such knowledge should remain secret.
As long as I continue to keep this Oath inviolate,
may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the Art, respected
by all men, at all times. But if I should trespass and violate this Oath,
may the opposite be my lot.
「医神アポロン (1)、アスクレピオス (2)、ヒギエイア、バナケイア及び全ての男神と女神に誓う、私の能力と判断に従ってこの誓いと約束を守ることを。
この術を私に教えた人を我が親の如く敬い、我が財を分かって、その必要あるとき助ける。その子孫を私自身の兄弟の如くみて、彼らが学ぶことを欲すれば報酬なしにこの術を教える。そして書き物や講義その他あらゆる方法で、私のもつ医術の知識を我が息子、我が師の息子、また医の規則に基づき約束と誓いで結ばれている弟子どもに分かち与え、それ以外の誰にも与えない。私は能力と判断の限り患者に利益すると思う養生法をとり、悪くて有害と知る方法を決してとらない。
いかなる患家を訪れるときも、それはただ病者を利益するためであり、あらゆる勝手な戯れや堕落の行いを避ける。女と男、自由人と奴隷の違いを考慮しない。医に関すると否とに関わらず、他人の生活についての秘密を守る。
この誓いを守り続ける限り、私は、いつも医術の実践を楽しみつつ生きて、全ての人から尊敬されるであろう。もしもこの誓いを破るならば、その反対の運命を賜りたい。」
(1)アポロン (Apollon)
ギリシア神話の神。ゼウスとレトとの子。アルテミスの兄弟。美しく男性的な神で、音楽・医術・弓術・予言、また、光明の神とされ、太陽と同一視される。
(2)アスクレピオス (Asklepios)
ギリシア神話の医術の神。アポロンの子。起死回生の術をよくした。なお、「アスクレピオスの杖」という蛇の巻きついた杖は、医術の象徴とされる。
資料出典 (稲葉裕, 野崎貞彦編：新簡明公衆衛生第2版,
南山堂, 1996., p. 299. より)
See: George Sarton, A History of Science
I (Cambridge: Harvard 1952) 376; Ludwig Edelstein, The Hippocratic Oath:
Text, translation, and interpretation (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins 1943).
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