Medieval

• What was the primary basis of medicine in medieval England?

  Religious, supernatural, and rational ideas
• How did the Church influence the practice of medicine during the medieval period?

  The Church held great power over medical practices
• When did the Black Death reach Britain?

  In 1348
• What were the main components of medieval medical thinking?

  • Illness explained by reason and observation
  • Influence of ancient physicians like Hippocrates and Galen
  • The theory of the four humours
• Who were the two ancient physicians whose ideas influenced medieval medicine?

  Hippocrates and Galen
• What was the theory of the four humours?

  It stated that the body was made up of four bodily fluids that needed to be balanced for good health
• What are the four humours according to Hippocrates?

  Blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile
• What happens if the four humours become unbalanced?

  It leads to illness
• How did Galen expand upon Hippocrates' theory of the four humours?

  He introduced the theory of opposites to balance the humours
• If a patient had too much blood and was hot and dry, what treatment would Galen suggest?

  Using cucumber, as it is cold and wet
• Why did Galen's ideas remain central to learning about the body in the medieval period?

  Because they fit with the teachings of the Catholic Church
• What role did monasteries play in medieval medical education?

  They produced all books used for learning
• What is miasma theory?

  It is the belief that illness was caused by poisoned air or smells from decomposing material
• What did some people believe caused the poisoned air according to miasma theory?

  They believed it was caused by God
• How did Islamic scholars contribute to the medical teachings of the Church in medieval England?

  They translated and made sense of the work of ancient physicians
• What was the relationship between the four humours and a patient's characteristics?

  Each humour was linked to specific characteristics, influencing diagnosis
• Why did the ideas of Hippocrates and Galen remain popular in medieval medicine?

  Because they aligned with the teachings of the Catholic Church