1500-1700: Ideas about the causes of disease and illness Flashcards
What ideas continued from Medieval times?
The theory of miasma. The slight change was that people developed the idea that seeds in the air carried disease.
The idea of the four humours was challenged by educated people, but continued to be believed amongst lower uneducated classes.
How was Francastro’s Theory of Contagion a change from Medieval times?
It was the first time (1546) that the theory that disease could spread from person to person was written down. Before this, it was just a hunch.
How did the work of Thomas Sydenham improve diagnosis?
He developed the idea that diseases come in “families”.
His observations classified as well as diagnosed illnesses.
He believed disease happened because of something attacking the body, not because of imbalances within it.
What was the influence of the Printing Press in causing change?
Written ideas could be widely circulated, read and used to inspire further research theories.
It was harder for authorities like the Catholic Church to restrict the spread of new ideas that challenged old logic.
What role did the Royal Society play in causing change?
The Royal Society was established with the motto “take nobody’s word for it”. The principle was that the Society would make sure any new breakthroughs would withstand the attempt of authority to stop developments in knowledge.
The Royal Society receiving the backing of King Charles II meant that they were legitimised in publishing new work and ideas that were peer reviewed by leading scientists and medics in Britain.
They published work by Thomas Sydenham, Antonie Van Leeuenhowek’s work on tiny invisible microbes not visible to the naked eye and William Harvey’s work on circulation of the blood in the body.
