Why were Hippocrates and Galen limited in their analysis of the body?

• A. Lacked access to human bodies
• B. Used experimental methods
• C. Relied on astrology
• D. Only dissected animals

Answer: (D)

Their understanding of the body was shaped by animal dissection rather than human dissection. Galen, in particular, performed many studies on animals and then generalized what he found to humans, which meant his conclusions about human anatomy were often incorrect or incomplete. Cultural and religious norms at the time limited direct human dissection, so there wasn’t much firsthand human anatomy to guide explanations. Because of this reliance on animal bodies, their analysis stayed limited when it came to how the human body actually works.