Tree of Hippocrates
The Tree of Hippocrates is the plane tree (or platane, in Europe) under which, according to the legend, Hippocrates of Kos (considered the father of medicine) taught his pupils the art of medicine. Paul of Tarsus purportedly taught here as well.[1] The Platanus in Kos is an oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), with a crown diameter of about 12 metres, said to be the largest for a plane tree in Europe.[1]
Hippocrates' tree resides on the Platía Platanou (or "Square of the Platane"), in front of the Castle of Knights and next to the Gazi Hassan Mosque (erected in 1776) in the centre of Kos town. The current tree is only about 500 years old,[2] but may possibly be a descendant of the original tree which allegedly stood there 2400 years ago, in Hippocrates' time.[3] The tree has become hollowed out over the years, and some branches are supported by metal scaffolding. Next to the tree is a white tap with engravings in the Arabic language, also built by the Turkish Governor Gazi Hassan.[2][4]
Derivatives of the original tree
The Medical Association of Cos presented a gavel made from wood of the plane tree to the President of the Canadian Medical Association in 1954.[5]
Seeds or cuttings from the tree have been spread all over the world.[6] A cutting of the tree was presented as a gift from the island Kos to the United States and the National Library of Medicine, and planted on December 14, 1961 on the grounds surrounding the library.[7] Many medical colleges, libraries or institutions have, or claim to have, trees cut or seeded from the original tree in Kos. It is probably because of its connection to the history of medicine that some institutions planted a plane tree.[8]
Trees cut or seeded from the original tree can be found, among others:
North America:
- in Alabama, USA. The Canadian Medical Association obtained a cutting in 1969, which was planted in Alabama.[9]
at the Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University http://www.ecu.edu/news/hippocratestree.cfm#.T4L-Fo5cl1E
- at Mercer University School of Medicine[10]
- at the University of Michigan Medical School[11]
- at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine[12]
- at the University of Victoria[13]
- at Yale University[14]
- at the University of Florida J Hillis Miller Health Science Center, where College of Medicine students obtained cuttings in 1969 and which inspired the annual Hippocratic Award
- at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- at the West Virginia School of Medicine Library, Charleston, West Virginia
Europe:
- at the University of Glasgow, Department of Medical Genetics[15]
Oceania:
- at University of Sydney's School of Rural Health in Dubbo, Australia.[16][17]
- at Burwood Hospital, in Christchurch, New Zealand
References
- ^ a b "HIPPOCRATES PLANE TREE - KOS GREECE". Retrieved September 22, 2006.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b Hendriksen, Bartho (1996). Ródos, Kós & Dodekánisos. Amsterdam: Babylon-De Geus. p. 69. ISBN 90-6222-518-7.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Voyageur Tours. "Kos Facts - Voyageur's Europe online". Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ "Greek Islands - Aegean Islands - Kos". Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ "Brief History". The College of Family Physicians of Canada. August 23, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ Sheldon Rubenfeld, M.D. (2004). "HEALING BY KILLING: MEDICINE IN THE THIRD REICH". Houston Medicine Magazine. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ National Library of Medicine (March 1, 2000). "Objects of Art: Tree of Hippocrates". United States National Institutes of Health. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ Williams, Ann (September 6, 2006). "FYI archives, September 6, 2006". The University of Utah. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|month=and|coauthors=(help) - ^ "ALABAMA'S FAMOUS & HISTORIC TREE PROGRAM - 2003" (PDF). Alabama Forestry Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 19, 2006. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ "AHEPA Organization Donates Statue of Hippocrates". University of Michigan Health History Research Center. Retrieved September 22, 2006
at the Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University
http://www.ecu.edu/news/hippocratestree.cfm#.T4L-Fo5cl1E.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); External link in|accessdate=|accessdate=at position 19 (help) - ^ "Hippocrates Tree to be Planted, Blessed at Medical School". Mercer University. Retrieved September 22, 2006. [dead link]
- ^ "CLIKAS HONORED FOR PLANTING OF "THE TREES OF HIPPOCRATES"". University of South Alabama Biomedical Library. May 1, 1997. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ "Forest Biology Tree Walk" (PDF). University of Victoria. Retrieved September 9, 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "Yale Medicine, Spring 2006, archives". Yale Medicine. 1981. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ "Christine Borland". York University Art Gallery. Archived from the original on March 14, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ Kidd, Michael (2006). "Hippocrates' tree" (PDF). The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. p. 733. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ David J Tiller (2005). "Hippocrates came across our desks". Medical Journal of Australia: 602. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)
36°53′41″N 27°17′27″E / 36.89472°N 27.29083°E
