Medicine - Edexcel book

Question 1

1.1
Describe a supernatural explanation for diseases

Answer 1

-Astrology
-Physicians consulted star charts & alignment of planets + stars when diagnosing to help identify problems

Question 2

1.1
Describe 3 religious explanations for diseases

Answer 2

-Sent by God as punishment for sins (blaming him for sickness = ‘proof of divine’ -> If recovered = miracle thanks to patient’s prayers
-Purify souls from sins
-Test faith

Question 3

1.1
What was leprosy?

Answer 3

-Painful skin disease -> paralysis -> death
-Fingers + toes + body hair fall out
-Ulcers in + out of body
-No cure
-Lepers isolated in leper houses/island communities
-If stayed in home towns wear cloak + ring bell to announce presence
-Banned going down narrow alleys bc can’t be avoided there

Question 4

1.1
Describe the theory of the 4 humours and state why it was popular

Answer 4

-Created by Hippocrates
-Universe made of 4 elements (fire, water, air, earth)
-Body should also have 4 humours (created by digesting diff foods): Blood, phlegm, black bile, choler/yellow bile
-Must be balanced otherwise ill
-Used to explain mental + physical illness
-Physicians twisted what they saw to fit logic of theory
-Popular bc no alternative + supported church’s teaching

Question 5

1.1
Describe the theory of opposites

Answer 5

-Developed by Galen as extension of theory of opposites
-Excess phlegm (linked w/ water+cold) cured by eating hot peppers

Question 6

1.1
Describe the importance of book learning in the years c1250-c1500

Answer 6

-Few read -> reading = intelligence
-Having read Hippocrates’ and Galen’s work = good physician
-Authority of classical texts so strong that physical evidence against them was ignored and ppl still believed texts

Question 7

1.1
Describe how the lack of alternatives prevented ideas about diseases developing in c1250-c1500

Answer 7

-Lack of scientific evidence to support other theories of cause of disease
-Dissections illegal bc body needed to be buried whole for soul to go to heaven
-Occasionally could dissect criminals - if anything didn’t agree w Galen’s writings was bc criminal body = imperfect

Question 8

1.1
What was miasma?

Answer 8

-Bad air believed to be filled w/ harmful fumes
-H+G suggested corpses, rotting matter transmit disease
-Clean + sweet smelling home = spiritual cleanliness
-Incense burned in churches to purify air
-Bad smell home = sinfulness + corruption
-Unwashed people avoided to not breathe bad miasma

Question 9

1.1
Describe how urine charts were used in the Medieval Ages

Answer 9

-Urine examined for diagnosis: colour, thickness, smell, taste
-Compared to urine chart
-1 of best ways to check balance of humours

Question 10

1.1
Explain how individuals and the Church influenced ideas on the cause of disease

Answer 10

C
-Important in maintaining status quo (no change)
-Controlled medical learning -> chose books to be copied + distributed e.g. like theory of 4 H bc fitted w/ their ideas so promoted
-Strongly discouraged criticising of theory
-Believed God created man in his image
-Galen believed in idea of soul which fitted well with Church’s ideas
-So Church promoted his teachings
-Used God as answer for disease (see card about religious explanations - card no. 2)
I
-H+G important in Medieval time even though lived before
-Books preserved by Arabic scholars
-G in partic popular bc of Church

Question 11

1.1
Explain how science and technology influenced ideas on the cause of disease

Answer 11

-Lack of scientific understanding = new knowledge limited
-Physicians tried make new discoveries fit w/ old theories, not experiment to explain discoveries
-Printing press ~ 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
led to faster sharing of medical texts

Question 12

1.1
Explain how attitudes in society influenced ideas on the cause of disease

Answer 12

-Strong belief in God -> ppl don’t want to risk hell by criticising Church
-Physicians who didn’t follow old ideas found employment hard bc known that good physician follow theory of 4 H
-Bc medicine always done this way, no need to change

Question 13

1.2
Describe religious treatments for disease

Answer 13

-Fasting
-Paying for special mass to be said
-Healing prayers
-Pilgrimage
-After pilgrimage certain actions advised e.g. lighting candle as tall as you

Question 14

1.2
Describe supernatural treatments for disease

Answer 14

-Incantations (spells) / amulets to heal symptoms
-King’s healing power; at coronation, hands rubbed w/ holy oil
-Astrology: Consulted star charts when diagnosing + treating
Treating according to patient’s horoscope
-But sometimes sick discouraged from seeking cures-medicine kept you alive but soul still stained -> risk of no heaven

Question 15

1.2
Describe 2 humoural treatments used in the medieval period

Answer 15

-Phlebotomy (blood-letting)
-Remove blood = remove bad humours
-Most common treatment for imbalance of humours
-3 types: cutting vein, leeches, cupping

-Purging
-Remove leftover food by vomiting bc humours created from food

Question 16

1.2
Explain how remedies were used to treat disease in the medieval period

Answer 16

-Diff foods for balance of humours
-Herbs
-Ingredients e.g. aloe vera improve digestion
-Bathing: diff types of ingredients in warm water for diff issues

Question 17

1.2
Explain how the Church was used to prevent disease in the medieval period

Answer 17

-Lead life free of sins by
-Praying
-Confessions
-Tithes

Question 18

1.2
Explain how hygiene was implemented to prevent disease

Answer 18

-Regimen Sanitatis: Set of instructions for good health

Question 19

1.2
Explain how diet was used to prevent disease

Answer 19

-Humours created by digestion so what ate very important in preventing imbalance
-Eat too much -> digestive problems -> death
-So purged

Question 20

1.2
Explain how purifying air prevented disease in the medieval period

Answer 20

-Spread sweet herbs
-Prevent miasma

Question 21

1.2
Describe the different types of medieval medics

Answer 21

-Women did most of treatment at home but if wanted to pay:

-Physicians
-Expensive
-Diagnose illness + recommend treatment (lower paid professionals then carried out treatment)

-Apothecaries
-Mixed herbal remedies
-Cheaper than physicians so more called for

-Surgeons
-Barber surgeons least qualified
-Regular surgeons highly trained

Question 22

1.2
Explain the role of hospitals in caring for patients

Answer 22

-On the rise
-~30% hosp in England run by Church
-Did not treat, offered hospitality
-Good place to rest, recover - kept very clean
-Any treatment = limited bc dissecting forbidden for religious (& hosp run by religious ppl e.g. monks)
-Hosp = successful -> good for Church bc recovery = proof for existence of God

Question 23

1.2
Explain the role of The Home in caring for patients

Answer 23

-Majority cared for here
-Women responsible: make comfortable, herbal remedies, prepare restorative food