Medicine In Medieval England Flashcards
Who was Hippocrates and why was he significant?(3pts)
An Ancient Greek doctor who created the theory of the four humours
he believed that the body required a balance of the four humours to remain healthy. These consisted of yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, blood.
- the hipoocratic oath: an oath everyone takes to obey rules of behaviour in profesional life
- encouraged that doctors should observe patients whilst treating them
Who was Galen and why was he important?
a Greek doctor born in AD 129 who worked in Rome
He developed the theory of the four humours from
The theory of opposites. Suggested that to balance humours by giving patients opposite humour to their symptom.
Such as if you had too much phlegm(cold) you should eat hot peppers(yellow bile)
What is the miasma theory?
It was were disease was transmitted by bad air, anything which created a bad smell. Such as dead bodies. Which indicated sin
What was astrology and how used to diagnose disease?(4pts
An Arabic medicine drought to Europe during 1100. This idea suggested that the alignment of the planet and stars caused disease.
the different alignments would affect different parts of the body.
An almanac was used to inform doctors on diagnose
[this idea became more accepting after the Black Death]
What was the Roman Catholic churches influence on medieval medicine?(7pts!!!)
-They controlled what poeple read. (Books in monasteries)
-They told poeple to follow Jesus and care for the sick( nuns Cared for the sick in hospitals run by monasteries)
-They were extremely powerful
-They were the centre of formal learning( controlled universities where physicians were trained)
-The church Outlawed dissection
-Suggested disease was a punishment from god(telling poeple to pray and repent to remove evil spirits) {caused by witches who they exorcised}
-Only promoted ideas which fit their belief(Galena work was the absolute truth!!
What were the roles for treating the sick and what do they do?(4!?!!)
-barber surgeons( they were not trained. Carried out blood letting, amputated limbs and were cheaper than physicians. When trained would enter guild of master surgeons♦️⚪️flag)
- physicians( trained in universities, diagnosed illness and have treatments, they were expensive and very few in England. Sometimes sent patients to apothecaries or barber surgeon) used vademecums to check patients conditions.
-female family: treated at home. Wise women used herbal remedies. Often lady of the manor would tend to People for free.
-apothecaries: received training, had no qualifications, mixed medicine based on their knowledge or from physicians instructions.
they cost money but cheaper than physicians.
What were hospitals like? 6pts
- places travellers would stay
- they didn’t allow poeple containing contagious disease to stay
-They were kept clean
-they gave fresh food and rest to patients
-run by churches(emphasis on god) - a place of recuperation rather than to treat disease
What was the Black Death?
1348 arrives in England. This caused one third of the British population to die.
It was a bubonic and pneumonic plague. Meaning it was spread by flee bites from rats (bubonic) and by the air through coughs and sneezes
(Pneumonic plague- cough up blood and died within 48hours)
The symptoms: cough up blood, headaches and puss filled swellings on skin.
What was believed to cause the Black Death?
Imbalance of humours
Judgment from god(wore tight clothes)
Miasma(poeple used strong smelling herbs to purify air)
[1349 Edward III Lord Mayor of London to remove filth from streets]
Astrology: people carried diamonds and rubies to protect against Black Death.[Guy de Chaulic, Frenchman blamed close position of Saturn Jupiter and mars]
Christians blamed Jews, poisoned wells
What were the government procedures to prevent the Black Death?
Gloucester isolated itself from the outside. They thought the disease was spread by human contact. Making there attempts unsuccessfull
January 1358. King Edward III closed parliament from it ‘daily increasing in severity,
Poeple I’m Winchester though being close to dead bodies caused disease, insisting new cemeteries built outside the town
What are the approaches to treatment & prevention?
-Bloodletting: when there was too much blood in the body. Involves making small cuts into body to remove blood. Some died from loosing too much blood
Purging: getting rid of fluids from a body by excreting. Gave patient laxatives to help the purging process
What is flagellant
An extreme form of repentance, which involved inflicting self harm to themselves. This was used to repent for there sins
Why would someone use herbal remedies?
A form of treatment
They were more cheaper than a visit to the doctor
(Honey & plantain would treat wounds to fight infection: effective)
Carry poses(flower) to sweeten smell during plagues.
What is Uroscopy?
When a doctor would collect urine samples, checking its colour, clarity, scent and taste.
If it was dark then it associated with death
Also Only used by wealthy as it was expensive
What is trepanning
Carving hole in a person head to let the devil out(used in Black Death
