Chapter 1 Medieval medicine & 2 Medical progress Flashcards
When did the Medieval period (middle ages) start and end?
It started in 500 AD and ended at 1500 AD
How are the Middle Ages divided?
There were the Early Middle Ages, High Middle Ages and Late Middle Ages.
What happened to Ancient World medical ideas during the Middle Ages?
They were lost due to wars in the Early Middle Ages but returned to Europe during the High Middle Ages when the continent became more peaceful.
From where did Ancient World medical knowledge return to Europe?
The Islamic world
Where did people in Medieval England go to for medical treatment?
The local wise woman or man, barber-surgeons, university-trained doctors, people offering treatments in markets and fairs and the church
How did Medieval doctors produce a diagnosis of disease in patients?
They concentrated on the pulse of the patient and the colour, smell and taste of the urine
What might the medicines a Medieval doctor prescribed be made of?
The doctor may prescribe natural medicines made from plants, animal products, spices, oils, wines and rocks
What were some non-supernatural treatments a Medieval doctor may have given a patient?
Bloodletting (or purging); giving a patient something to make them vomit or go to the toilet
What was bloodletting (or purging)?
Bloodletting was a common treatment where blood was removed through leeches sucking it out or a vein being opened
Did bloodletting work?
Bloodletting didn’t often work because blood had to be taken from exactly the right spot on the body
What were some supernatural treatments a Medieval doctor may have tried to help a patient?
Prayers, charms and astrology
What did Medieval doctors believe caused illness and how did they think doctors could treat it?
Medieval doctors believed there were four “humours” inside a person and that they became ill when these “humours” were out of balance. It was a doctor’s job to restore the balance
Where did the theory of the four “humours” originate?
Ancient Greece
According to the four “humours” theory, what were the four elements in the body and which “humours” did they show themselves in?
Fire - Yellow bile ; Earth - Black bile ; Water - Phlegm ; Air - Blood
According to the four “humours” theory, what qualities did each element have?
Fire was hot , Earth was dry , Water was cold , Air was moist
According to the four “humours” theory, in which season was each element the strongest?
Fire - Summer; Earth - Autumn; Water - Winter; Air - Spring
According to the four “humours” theory, what were some cures related to keeping yellow bile in balance?
Made to vomit; change diet, like to eat cheese
According to the four “humours” theory, what were some cures related to keeping black bile in balance?
Give laxatives; Eat more vegetables
According to the four “humours” theory, what were some cures related to keeping phlegm in balance?
Breath in steam; eat fleshy vegetables like cucumber
According to the four “humours” theory, what were some cures related to keeping blood in balance?
Bloodletting, eating and drinking red wine or meat
What does c mean before a date? (c1540)
It stands for circa, meaning approximately
How many years of study could it take to qualify as a doctor in the Middle Ages?
At least 7
At what university could a doctor have studies at in the Middle Ages?
A university like Oxford or Cambridge
How did a Medieval doctor train, and could have importantly been left out?
Listening to lectures, debating what had been read in books,
a fully qualified doctor could have left university without having seen a real patient
From what sources did Medieval doctors gain their medical knowledge from during training?
Treatments of Hippocrates, Galen, medical knowledge from Muslim, Indian and Chinese worlds
When was Compendium Medicine published?
c1230
Who published Compendium Medicine?
Gilbert Eagle
Which country was Compendium Medicine from?
England
What were the books studied by Medieval doctors in England based on?
Greek knowledge
How did a Medieval doctor in England learn about the body in training?
They dealt with each body part, working from the head downwards
In England, what did a Medieval doctor’s training involve?
Medical theory, recipes, charms and Christian prayers
What did wise people in the Middle Ages offer as treatment?
A mixture of natural herbal remedies, first aid and supernatural cures