Chapter one, Topic Two: Medical Progress Flashcards
How did religion help medicine?
PRESERVING KNOWLEDGE:
- Collapse of the Roman Empire nearly destroyed all medical knowledge
- Christianity and Islam saved many Greek + Roman medical books from destruction and Monks made copies of ancient books by hand
HOSPITALS:
- Many hospitals founded in Middle ages as Christian Church taught that sick people should be looked after. They functioned like care homes and looked after poor and old people.
- By 1400, there were nearly 500 hospitals in England averaging around 10 patients each
How did religion hinder medicine?
EDUCATION AND TRAINING:
- Christian church controlled the universities where physicians trained
- Physicians read the work of Galen because his teachings supported Christian ideas
- So, they were not encouraged by the church to challenge traditional ideas as if people questioned Galen, they would be seen to question the Bible
- e.g. Roger Bacon was put in prison by church leader by saying that doctors should do their own research instead of reading Galen
IDEAS ABOUT CAUSES OF DISEASE AND TREATMENTS:
- Christian teachings influenced peoples’ ideas of the causes of disease
- Seen as a punishment for sins sent by God
- This meant that people did not really look for treatments as the treatment was more prayer and to commit less sins
How did Islamic scholars and doctors influence the development of medicine in Europe?
- Islamic teachings encouraged people to take care of their diet, exercise and hygiene, as well as taking care for those who are sick or in need. This led to the development of HOSPITALS.
- Islamic scholars TRANSLATED many Greek medical BOOKS into Arabic meaning that books by people like Galen were not lost (PRESERVING KNOWLEDGE)
- Islamic Doctors (see other flashcard)
Name the key Islamic individuals and what they did.
Al-Razi: Wrote over 50 books based on the ideas of Hippocrates and Galen, Described smallpox and measles accurately
Al-Zahrawi: Well-known expert in surgery, wrote book describing abdominal operations + illustrations of 200 surgical instruments
Ibn-al-Nafis (IMPORTANT!): Argued against Galen’s theory that blood was produced in the liver and burnt up in the body. He said that blood circulated around the body.
Ibn Sina (also important): Encouraged observation and experimentation, wrote many books including ‘The Cannon of medicine’ which became the main medical for physicians until the 17th century.
How did John Bradmore help progress surgery?
The 16 year old Henry Prince of Wales had an arrowhead lodged in the bottom of his skull through his cheek. John Bradmore the royal surgeon designed a new forcep to remove it and the prince survived.
How did disagreeing with Galen help progress surgery? (name one way)
- He taught that wounds were more likely to heal if pus developed
- Hendri de Mondeville was an army surgeon and teacher who disagreed with him and taught his students to bathe and cleanse wounds, then close them up quickly without trying to form pus (this is much more likely to lead to successful healing)
