Humoralism
The human body is filled with four basic substances, called humors, which are in balance when a person is healthy. All diseases and disabilities supposedly resulted from an excess or deficit of one of these four humors. These deficits were thought to be caused by vapors inhaled or absorbed by the body. The four humors are black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood.
| Humor | Season | Element | Organ | Qualities | Temperament | Temperament characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood | spring | air | liver | warm and moist | sanguine | courageous, hopeful, playful, carefree |
| Yellow bile | summer | fire | spleen | warm and dry | choleric | ambitious, leader-like, restless, easily angered |
| Black bile | autumn | earth | gallbladder | cold and dry | melancholic | despondent, quiet, analytical, serious |
| Phlegm | winter | water | brain/lungs | cold and moist | phlegmatic | calm, thoughtful, patient, peaceful |