disease was caused by an imbalance of the "humours" within the body

[tahasozgen]

The word "humours" has not been understood. The paragraph has been taken from the journal, The Economist, 3rd July 2021. The paragraph is about the germ theory and its historical development.

Few people suspected that such micro-organisms might cause disease. At the time, doctors followed the doctrine of Hippocrates, believing disease was caused by an imbalance of the "humours" within the body (blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile)

Humour: 1. The quality in something that makes it funny:
2. The way that a particular person or group find certain things amusing.

What is the meaning of "humour" in this context?

 

[5jj]

The Four Humors | Blood, Phlegm, Black Bile & Yellow Bile - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

Learn what the four humors of the body are along with the humoral theory. Discover humorism and the four humors written about by Hippocrates during...

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[teechar]

I don't understand the word "humours" has not been understood. The paragraph has been taken from the journal, in the following excerpt from The Economist, 3rd July 2021. The paragraph It is about the germ theory and its historical development.