Medicine in Medieval England Flashcards
c1250-c1500
Super Natural and religious explanations of the cause of disease
Religion
Astrology
Four Humours
Miasma
Religious explanation for the cause of disease
-Disease was a punishment from God
-God sent disease to cleanse ones soul of sin
-God was testing faith and mankind
Astrology explanation of the cause of disease
-Alignments of different stars/planets ect. caused illness
-Supernatural explanation
-Star signs could cause certain diseases
Four Humours explanation of the cause of disease
-Body is made up of 4 humours and if they become unbalanced, disease would spread and you would become unwell
-Star signs and urine charts were used to consult the 4 humours
Miasma explanation of the cause of disease
-Believed the air was filled with bad fumes which would then cause disease
-If the house was clean and had a good scent, disease would stay away
Rational explanation of The Four Humours
The four humours were: If the humours stayed in balance then a person remained healthy, but if there was too much of one humour then illness occurred. If a patient had a runny nose, it was because of an excess of phlegm in the body. If a patient had nose bleeds, it was because of an excess of blood.
Rational explanation of Miasma
The miasma theory indicated that unclean air could make people unwell. People tried to prevent disease and illness by cleaning the streets to make sure the air was clean.
Rational explanation to Galen and Hippocrates influences
-Hippocrates suggested the theory of the four humours after carefully observing his patients. Galen developed Hippocrates’ ideas further.
-Galen believed that the humours could be balanced using the theory of opposites. For example, if a patient had too much blood and was hot and dry, they could be treated with cucumber because it was cold and wet. The ideas of Hippocrates and Galen remained popular in medieval medicine.
Religious Treatments for disease
-Praying
-Fasting
-Pilgrimage
-Special mass
Remedies used for treatment
-Materia Medica was a book of Herbal remedies
-Warm baths steamed out impurities
-Theriaca was a common remedy
How was Purging used for treatment
-Food would effect your heath. linked to the Four humours
-Given something to cause vomiting
-laxative and enema/Clyster
-Food balanced the Four Humours
Bloodletting for treatment
-For imbalance of Humours
-Cutting a vein, leeches and cupping were methods
-Some would bleed to death
Hospital care
The patients were cared for by monks and nuns. Hospitals also offered a place to stay for travellers and those on pilgrimage. Hospitals were kept clean, and the monks and nuns were tasked with ensuring that the bedding was changed and washed regularly.
Physicians
-Trained at university for 7 years, reading books by Hippocrates and Galen
-Training would include observing surgery in a lecture theatre but would not carry out Surgery themselves
-Diagnosed illness by:
*The Four Humours
*Star Charts
*Urine charts
-Suggested Treatments based on the Four Humours
-Took the Hippocratic Oath which is a promise to do no harm to patients
Apothecaries
-Mixed ingredients to make ointments and medicine for Physicians
-Learned from other apothecaries but didn’t go to university to learn
-Remedies were not based on science or medical knowledge meaning sometimes they would contain items which caused accidental poisoning, such as metals
-Didn’t take the Hippocratic Oath which meant that they could sell remedies that they couldn’t guarantee would not harm their patients
-They costed money which meant not everyone could go see them but they were a more affordable option than going to get a diagnosis from a Physician
Barber Surgeon
-Didn’t go to university
-Trained as apprentices through observing others
-They improved their skills through practice and reading books on surgery.
-Did basic surgery such as bloodletting, removing surface tumours, sewing up wounds and making splints for broken bones. Sometimes they would carry out amputations
-Not good anaesthetics so some patients would die of shock
-No way of stopping bleeding so patients could lose too much blood and die
-No knowledge of germs so infection was common. Instruments were not cleaned between patients and bandages were not always clean. This meant patients could die of sepsis and infection
-Costed money so not everyone could go to them but they were more affordable then Physicians
Religious preventions
-Regular Prayers
-Confessions
-Offering Tithes to the church
Purifying Air for prevention
-In the home: Weet herbs and Lavender
-Local Authorities: Tried to keep Towns clean
Government Preventions
-Quarantine
-Stopped cleaning streets and rotting bodies would drive off plague miasma
Regimen Sanitatis
-Set of instructions to maintain good health such as moderate exercise and not over eating
CASE STUDY: Black Death 1348-9 Treatment
-PRIEST:
*Confess sins
*Ask for forgiveness
*Prayer
-PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS:
*Bleeding and purging
* Strong smelling herbs, aloe and Myrrh
*Prescribed Theriaca
*Lanced the buboes
-COMMON PERSON:
*Confess sins and prayer
*Bleeding
*Apothecaries
-GOVERNMENT:
*Weren’t concerned on how to treat it, only how to stop it
CASE STUDY: Black Death 1348-9 Prevention
-PRIEST:
*Pray and fast
*Gon on a Pilgrimage
*Show God how sorry you are (Self-
Flagellation)
-PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS
*Run away from Miasma
*Carry flowers or herbs
*Avoid Baths
-COMMON PERSON:
*Cheerful Music
*Stop visiting family members
-GOVERNMENT:
*Quarantine
*Stopped cleaning streets and rotting
bodies would drive off plague miasma
