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?
The 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
