Renaissance Medicine

• What does the term "Renaissance" refer to?

  A time of change (re-birth) when people became interested in all things Greek and Roman
• How did the invention of printing impact the Renaissance?

  It allowed books to be published, increasing access to knowledge
• What realization did people come to during the Renaissance regarding Greek ideas?

  People realized that the Greeks loved enquiry and challenging old ideas
• How did the approach of scientists and doctors change during the Renaissance?


  They became more willing to experiment and challenge old ideas
• What was the significance of the King in the context of disease during the Renaissance?

  People believed that being touched by the King could cure diseases like scrofula
• What is the definition of anatomy?

  The science of understanding the structure and makeup of the body
• What does autopsy mean?

  Dissecting a body after someone has died to establish the cause of death
• What does continuity refer to in the context of medical history?

  Things or ideas that stayed the same over time
• How did the microscope contribute to medical advancements?

  It allowed things to be magnified for better observation
• What is physiology?

  The study of how the body works
• What was the Royal Society?

  A group of people interested in science who met weekly and had a laboratory with microscopes
• Who was Charles II in relation to the Royal Society?

  He was a patron of the Royal Society
• What does quarantined mean?


  Separated from the rest of the local population because of illness
• What significant medical publication did Vesalius release in 1543?

  The Fabric of the Human Body
• What did Harvey publish in 1628?

  An Anatomical Account of the Motion of the Heart and Blood
• What major event occurred in London in 1665?

  The Great Plague, which resulted in 75,000 deaths
• How did the Great Plague compare to the Black Death?

  The Great Plague was less deadly than the Black Death of 1348
• What measures did the Mayor of London take to prevent the spread of the plague?

  He ordered watchmen to guard houses and ensure the sick stayed inside
• Why were the Mayor of London's orders hard to enforce during the plague?

  People ignored the rules and many watchmen were murdered
• What was one of the controversial ideas proposed by Thomas Sydenham?

  That diseases could be organized into different groups
• How did Sydenham's approach to diagnosing illness differ from medieval methods?

  He focused on observing symptoms and treating the disease as a whole
• What did Sydenham believe about the nature of diseases?

  He believed that the nature of the patient had little impact on the disease
• What were the key dates and their significance during the Medical Renaissance?

  • 1543: Vesalius published The Fabric of the Human Body
  • 1565: The first dissection was carried out in Cambridge
  • 1628: Harvey published An Anatomical Account of the Motion of the Heart and Blood
  • 1665: The Great Plague in London resulted in 75,000 deaths
• What were the Mayor of London's orders to prevent the plague and their enforcement challenges?

  • Orders included identifying plague victims, quarantining families, and cleaning streets.
  • Challenges:
  • Parliament refused to enforce laws.
  • People ignored rules and reported symptoms late.
  • Many officials left London.
• What were the strengths and weaknesses of Thomas Sydenham's approach to medicine?

  Strengths:

  • Focused on observing symptoms in detail
  • Treated diseases as a whole

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Controversial ideas about disease classification
  • Challenged established medical theories
• What was Thomas Sydenham's approach to treating a patient's illness?

  He observed symptoms and treated the disease causing them.
• How did Sydenham's method differ from the medieval approach to medicine?

  He treated diseases as a whole rather than addressing each symptom separately.
• What was one of Sydenham's controversial ideas regarding diseases?

  • Diseases could be organized into different groups.
  • This contrasted with the Theory of the Four Humours.
• According to the Theory of the Four Humours, what factors contributed to a patient's disease?


  Weather, diet, and the patient's balance of humours.
• What did Sydenham encourage his students to do in their practice?

  To observe patients and note down their symptoms in detail.
• How did Sydenham's ideas lay the foundation for a more scientific approach to medicine?

  By emphasizing clinical observation and the identification of diseases.
• What diseases did Sydenham identify as separate diseases?

  Measles and scarlet fever.
• Who was Andreas Vesalius and what was his area of focus?

  • Andreas Vesalius was a professor of surgery in Padua, Italy.
  • His area of focus was anatomy.
• What were some misconceptions about the human body before Vesalius's discoveries?

  Doctors believed the human body had two jawbones and that blood flowed through invisible holes in the heart.
• What was Vesalius's breakthrough in anatomy?

  He discovered that there was only one jawbone and that there were no holes in the heart.
• What was the title of Vesalius's published work?

  'The Fabric of the Human Body.'
• What was the immediate impact of Vesalius's work on medical ideas or treatments?

  It did not improve health in the short term but was used to train doctors.
• What long-term impacts did Vesalius's discoveries have on medicine?

  • Challenged traditional ideas about anatomy.
  • Prompted further research and dissection.
  • Changed thinking about the human body and medicine.
• Who was William Harvey and what was his area of focus?

  William Harvey was a doctor who focused on blood circulation.
• What were the misconceptions about blood circulation before Harvey's discoveries?

  Doctors believed new blood was manufactured in the liver and that blood passed through the heart via invisible holes.