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Classical medicine taught that the human body was governed by four fluids or humors, each tied to one of the prime elements.  The four elements were earth, air, fire, and water; the four humors were black bile, blood, yellow bile, and phlegm.  Illness was presumed to be the result of an imbalance in the humors. Thus, since illness is the result of imbalance, the key treatments often involved trying to rid the body of the excess of certain humors. Diet and herbal treatments were often prescribed, but often the diagnosis called for a more extreme way of relieving the body of excess humors.  The most notable is perhaps the practice of phlebotomy or blood-letting.  When Pertelote suggests to Chauntecleer that he take a laxative to relieve his imbalance of humors, she is suggesting a well-respected standard medical practice. 

Other sites of interest: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~hanly/chaucer/coursematerials/humours.html

 http://www.intermaggie.com/med/humors.php

The illustration at the top of the page shows a physician drawing blood, one of the common procedures to relieve the problems associated with excess blood in humor theory.

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