The Four Humours Theory

Part of Medieval Ideas about Disease · Section 2 of 15

DiagramUnit: Medicine Through TimeGCSE
Four Humours theory diagram

The theory that dominated medicine for 1,400 years — blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile

This diagram covers The Four Humours Theory within Medieval Ideas about Disease for GCSE History. Revise Medieval Ideas about Disease in Medicine Through Time for GCSE History with 8 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 2 of 15 in this topic. Focus on the labels, the relationships between parts, and the explanation that turns the diagram into an exam-ready answer.

Practice questions for Medieval Ideas about Disease

According to the Four Humours theory, what caused illness?

  • A. Germs entering the body through the air
  • B. God punishing sinners for their wrongdoing
  • C. An imbalance of the four humours in the body
  • D. Evil spirits possessing the patient's blood
1 markfoundation

Why did Galen often make mistakes about human anatomy?

  • A. He lived before any scientific instruments had been invented
  • B. He based his human anatomy on dissecting animals, not human bodies
  • C. He refused to examine patients and only worked from books
  • D. He rejected the Four Humours theory used by other doctors
1 markfoundation

Quick recall flashcards

What was uroscopy?
Examining a patient's urine — its colour, smell, clarity, and taste — to diagnose disease. A standard medieval diagnostic technique based on humour theory.
What was miasma?
The belief that disease was caused by "bad air" or smells from rotting matter

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Setting the Scene

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The Four Humours (Hippocrates & Galen)

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