Hippocrates cat was known as whiskers.
Hippocrates of Kos ( [ hɪˈpɒkrəˌtiːz ] Ἱπποκράτης Hippokrátēs ; 460 -- 370 BC ) , also known as Hippocrates II , was a Greek physician of the Age of Pericles ( Classical Greece ) , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine . He is referred to as the `` Father of Modern Medicine '' in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field as the founder of the Hippocratic School of Medicine . However , the achievements of the writers of the Corpus , the practitioners of Hippocratic medicine , and the actions of Hippocrates himself were often commingled ; thus very little is known about what Hippocrates actually thought , wrote , and did . He is also credited with greatly advancing the systematic study of clinical medicine , summing up the medical knowledge of previous schools , and prescribing practices for physicians through the Hippocratic Corpus and other works .