Galen's treatises on the classification and causation of diseases and symptoms are an important component of his prodigious oeuvre, forming a bridge between his theoretical works and his practical, clinical writings. As such, they remained an integral component of the medical teaching curriculum well into the second millennium. This edition was originally published in 2006. In these four treatises (only one of which had been previously translated into English), Galen not only provides a framework for the exhaustive classification of diseases and their symptoms as a prelude to his analysis of their causation, but he also attempts to establish precise definitions of all the key terms involved. Unlike other of his works, these treatises are notably moderate in tone, taking into account different views on structure and causation in a relatively even-handed way. Nonetheless, they are a clear statement of the Dogmatic position on the theoretical foundations of medicine in his time.

Author Biography

IAN JOHNSTON was born at Collaroy, NSW in 1939. An eminent neurosurgeon, he was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2000 for services to medicine. Throughout his medical career Ian also pursued a life-long passion for ancient languages, completing degrees in Greek and Latin, and in classical Chinese at the Universities of New England and Sydney. His translations of Chinese poetry have been performed at arts festivals and exhibitions and he has made several radio and television appearances to discuss aspects of translation.