Factors which caused continuity in medieval medicine

• Science and technology:

  • Lack of scientific understanding and technology led to limited ability to make discoveries
  • New discoveries forced into old theories
  • Printing press invented in 1440s but impact not felt until Renaissance
• The Church:

  • Fatalism - all events linked to destiny
  • Everyone set on path by God that cannot be interfered with - fate
  • Physicians stopped looking for cures and origins of disease - part of God's plan that could not be changed
  • Church overly supported ancient theories and challenging this was "blasphemous"
  • Forced people to follow inadequate theories
  • Banned dissection - could not understand anatomy and bodily function
• Attitudes in society:

  • Medieval people were very religious and did not want to challenge Church's theories in fear of going to Hell
  • People only visited physicians that followed followed old theories and Four Humours - limited physicians wanting to search and make new discoveries
• Links for paragraphs:

  • Church and society: people followed Church as they were powerful
  • Science and Church: ban on dissection and research
  • Science and society: not interested in new discoveries