Medieval Medicine

• Who understood that sickness in one body part could affect others?

  Hippocrates
• What did Hippocrates believe was important for recovery?

  Observation, diet, and rest
• What theory did Hippocrates develop?

  The theory of 4 humours
• How did Galen build upon Hippocrates' work?

  He created the Theory of Opposites
• Why was Galen limited in his dissections?

  Roman law forbade human dissection
• Which animals did Galen dissect for anatomical studies?

  Pigs and monkeys
• Why did the Church support Galen's medical works?

  He referred to the 'Creator' and one God
• What was the consequence of the Church's support for Galen's ideas?

  Doctors believed his ideas were correct
• What became of Galen's work in medical education?

  It became accepted as university texts
• What were the Four Humours?

  Blood, yellow bile, phlegm, black bile
• Why did people believe they became ill?

  Humours were out of balance
• What was bloodletting?

  Removing blood by opening a vein
• Why did medieval people practice bloodletting?

  They believed too much blood caused illness
• What was purging linked to?

  The theory of the Four Humours
• How was purging typically performed?

  By inducing vomiting
• What did some medieval people associate with disease?

  Bad air or bad smells
• Why was death higher in towns than in the countryside?

  People lived close together with filth
• What did people carry to avoid unpleasant smells?

  Posies
• What did doctors wear to avoid bad smells?

  Masks containing flower petals
• What action did Edward III take in 1349 regarding filth?

  Ordered removal of filth from streets
• What did some astronomers blame for illness?

  Planets being 'out of line'
• What elements were believed to affect the human body?

  Earth, fire, air, and water
• What was the Zodiac Man used for?

  To identify treatment based on astrology
• What did the Zodiac Man consider for treatment decisions?

  Patient's personality, body part, season
• How did religion influence beliefs about disease in the Middle Ages?

  People believed God sent illness for sin
• What remedies were often used in response to illness?

  Prayers and charms
• What was a common practice for penance in the Middle Ages?

  Whipping themselves for their sins
• What was a consequence of self-whipping for penance?

  Infected wounds leading to more illness
• What were shrines filled with?

  Relics of holy persons
• What did medieval doctors have access to for healing?

  A range of natural healing herbs
• What was a physician's role in medieval medicine?

  Highest ranking doctors for the rich
• How many physicians were there in Britain in the 1300s?

  Fewer than 100
• How were barber surgeons trained?

  Limited training, some read anatomy textbooks
• What services did barber surgeons provide?

  Amputations and basic dentistry
• What was the role of wise women in medieval medicine?

  Used wisdom passed down through generations
• Who offered care for the non-contagious and elderly?

  Priests and nuns
• What could common people obtain from apothecaries?

  Herbal medicine
• How long was the apprenticeship for an apothecary?

  7 years
• What was expected of the lady of the house in medieval times?

  To provide medical care for family
• What were the key beliefs about health and illness in medieval times?

  • Illness linked to Four Humours
  • Miasma theory: bad air causes disease
  • Supernatural influences: astrology and divine punishment
  • Role of religion in understanding disease