1250-1500 Medicine In Medieval England Flashcards
What was the primary belief about the cause of disease in medieval England?
Illness and disease were believed to be caused by sins and sent as punishment from God
The Church taught that recovery was due to prayers.
What role did the Church play in education during medieval England?
The Church controlled education and the universities where physicians were trained.
What is the definition of ‘Diagnosis’?
Identifying the nature of an illness by considering the different symptoms.
What does ‘Miasma’ refer to in medieval medical beliefs?
Smells from decomposing material believed to cause disease.
Who developed the Theory of the Four Humours?
Hippocrates.
What are the four humours according to the Theory of the Four Humours?
- Blood
- Phlegm
- Black bile
- Yellow bile
How did Galen extend the Theory of the Four Humours?
By suggesting the Theory of Opposites to rebalance the humours.
What was believed to be the effect of bad air according to the Miasma Theory?
Bad air and smells contained poisonous fumes that caused disease.
True or False: Medieval England had a deep understanding of scientific causes for diseases.
False.
What did the Church teach about recovery from illness?
Recovery was attributed to the patient’s prayers.
Fill in the blank: The Theory of the Four Humours suggested that an imbalance of these substances caused _______.
[illness and disease]
What was a key factor in the continuity of medical ideas during the Middle Ages?
The influence of the Church.
Who was Galen?
A doctor in Ancient Rome who recorded his findings in more than 350 books.
What did medieval beliefs suggest about rotting matter?
Any rotting matter could transmit disease.
What was the societal attitude towards religious beliefs in the Middle Ages?
Religious beliefs dominated medical thinking.
Fill in the blank: A _______ was believed to be harmful air that caused disease.
[miasma]
What is a physician?
A person qualified to practice medicine.
What did the Church believe about disease in relation to the soul?
Disease was sent by God to cleanse the soul of sin or to test faith.
What were common religious actions for the prevention and treatment of disease in medieval England?
Healing prayers, fasting, lighting candles in church, flagellation, going on pilgrimages
These practices reflected the belief in supernatural influences on health.
What role did star charts play in medieval medicine?
Star charts were used to prescribe treatments and were consulted at every stage of a patient’s treatment
This included herb gathering, bloodletting, purging, and operations.
What was the most common treatment to balance the humours in medieval medicine?
Bloodletting
This involved draining a patient’s blood to restore balance.
How was bloodletting performed?
By piercing a vein with a knife to create a vacuum and draw out blood
This was believed to help balance the body’s humours.
What was purging, and what methods were used?
Purging was a treatment to clear the body using emetics or laxatives
Emetics made patients vomit, while laxatives like linseeds helped clear the intestines.
What types of herbal remedies were commonly used in medieval medicine?
Aloe vera, mint, camomile
These herbs were utilized for their medicinal properties.
What preventive measures were encouraged in medieval England?
Exercising, sleeping, keeping clean, breathing clean air, avoiding stress
These practices were outlined in the regimen sanitatis.
What was the purpose of spreading sweet herbs and carrying flowers?
To purify the air and ward off illness
This was a common practice to improve health.
What role did the Church play in medieval medicine?
The Church provided care for the sick and influenced the training of physicians
Their religious beliefs dominated medical thinking during this period.
What were the main responsibilities of a physician in medieval England?
Diagnosed illness, suggested treatments, studied blood and urine
Physicians were well-educated but rarely treated patients directly.
How did apothecaries contribute to medieval medicine?
Mixed herbal remedies and gained knowledge from experience
They were less expensive than physicians and sometimes used supernatural treatments.
What type of procedures did barber-surgeons perform?
Simple surgeries using sharp instruments
Their role increased throughout the medieval period.
What was the primary function of hospitals in medieval England?
To provide rest and prayer for the sick
Many were owned by the Church and catered to specific groups like the infectious or pregnant.
Who primarily cared for the sick at home in medieval times?
Women, often acting as caregivers or midwives
Local wise women also provided treatments.
Fill in the blank: The _______ was a set of instructions on maintaining health provided by physicians.
regimen sanitatis
True or False: Physicians in medieval England were the most accessible and frequently consulted medical professionals.
False
Apothecaries and barber-surgeons were more accessible to the general population.
What was the significance of pilgrimages in medieval medicine?
Pilgrimages were made to seek healing as an act of devotion
They were part of the religious approach to health.
What methods were used for purging in medieval treatments?
Emetics and laxatives
Emetics were often strong herbs like aniseed or parsley.
