Aristotle developed the theory of the four humours. These were seen to be linked to the four seasons and the
four elements that were then the basis of
chemistry. The four humours were yellow bile, black bile,
blood and
phlegm.
When the humours were out of balance, you got ill. For instance, in winter, you had an excess of phlegm, and get colds. This is how Aristotle linked water, winter and phlegm together. This led to practicing such as bleeding and purging to get the humours back in balance.
Although there is logic behind the connections, Aristotle failed to see that runny noses, fevers and such were symptoms of diseases, not the cause.
The four humours theory was accepted by Galen and lasted right up until the 18th century, when it was finally rejected absolutely.