Ancient Rome (Medicine) Flashcards
Ancient Rome background:
Romans were really wealthy
People of the Roman Empire were taxed
It was a slave owning society
What did the Romans build to improve Public Health?
- Aqueducts - to carry clean water into cities
- Public baths,toilets, and sewers (to remove waste)
Who was Galen and what did he do?
He was a Greek physician working in Rome.
Like Hippocrates, he told doctors to observe patients carefully and record symptoms.
He discovered that the brain (not the heart like people previously thought) controlled speech.
He dissected animals and proved that animal’s anatomy is different from human’s
What mistakes did Galen make?
- He only dissected animals
- He said there were holes in the heart which let blood pass from the right side to the left
- He believed blood was consumed, rather than circulated
What connections were there between Greek and Roman medicine?
- Some Romans were jealous of the Greek’s skills
- The main medical books in Rome were written by Hippocrates who was Greek
- Romans took over universities and libraries in Greece
Roman treatments?
- Doctors recommended more exercise and changes in a person’s diet
What was the most common surgical treatment in the Roman time period?
Bleeding.
Why were internal body operations still rare at this point in time?
Because they were too risky
Why was trephining used?
To relieve pain in the head
Name 3 changes in Roman medicine
- Wider range of herbal remedies
- Fresh water supplies, sewers and baths
- Trained doctors in the army and towns
