Medicine In Medieval England c1250 - 1500

Question 1

Define Malnutrition

Answer 1

An illness caused by lack of food

Question 2

Define Leprosy

Answer 2

Skin disease, followed by paralysis and death

Question 3

Define diagnosing

Answer 3

Looking at symptoms to decide what is wrong with a patient

Question 4

Define Physician

Answer 4

Another name for a doctor

Question 5

Define Vivisection

Answer 5

Criminals who were dissected alive

Question 6

Define Scourge

Answer 6

Something that causes great suffering

Question 7

Define Flagellants

Answer 7

A group who punished themselves during the Black Death in the hope that God would take pity

Question 8

Define Quarantine

Answer 8

Separating the sick from the healthy

Question 9

State 4 theories about the cause of disease

Answer 9

1) Astrology
2) Religion
3) The Four Humours Theory
4) Miasmas

Question 10

Explain why religion was a cause of disease

Answer 10

1) People were very religious and most were Catholic
2) They turned to the church for answers
3) They thought sins would be punished by God and the devil could send disease
4) Leprocy was a disease sent by God

Question 11

Explain why Astrology was a cause of disease

Answer 11

1) The alignment of the stars and planets was important in diagnosing illness.
2) Star charts would be used by physicians.
3) Astrology was a supernatural explanation for disease

Question 12

Describe the 4 humours theory as a cause of disease

Answer 12

1) It was an idea from Hippocrates in Ancient Greek times
2) Stated that the world was made up of 4 different elements and the body was made up of 4 different humours
3) The humours were: Blood, Phlegm, Black bile, yellow bile
4) Galen developed this idea further and invented the theory of opposites

Question 13

Explain the theory of opposites and who created it

Answer 13

1) It was created by Galen
2) A fever could be cured with cucumbers (cooling)
3) Anything hot could be cured by something cool and vise-versa

Question 14

Describe Miasmas as a cause of disease

Answer 14

1) Miasmas = Bad air filled with harmful fumes
2) Both Hippocrates and Galen said swamps, corpses and other rotting matter could transit disease
3) Medieval physicians called it ‘Corruption of the air’

Question 15

Describe diagnosis illness

Answer 15

1) Many Medieval doctors carried a ‘Vademecum’ book of diagnoses and a urine chart
2) They could then made on-the-spot guesses as to the problem with the patient

Question 16

Define Vademecum

Answer 16

1) Means ‘Go-with-me’ book of diagnoses, used to diagnose disease

Question 17

State 4 reasons why there was continuity of ideas in the Middle Ages

Answer 17

1) Hippocrates and Galen
2) The Church
3) Science and technology
4) The invention of the printing press (1440)

Question 18

Describe Hippocrates and Galen in terms of continuity of ideas in the Middle Ages

Answer 18

1) Students were taught old ideas, instead of practical experience
2) They were favoured by the Church, especially the 4 humours idea

Question 19

Describe The church in terms of continuity of ideas in the Middle Ages

Answer 19

1) The Church did not like change and wanted to keep things as they were
2) They controlled the education!
3) Books were often produced by Monks and this was the only way (+ talking) to deliver information so it was biased on their views

Question 20

Describe science and technology in terms of continuity of ideas in the Middle Ages

Answer 20

1) There was a lack of scientific evidence
2) Dissections were illegal because of the church so practical testing limited
3) printing press didn’t come into action until the Renaissance period

Question 21

State 4 treatments and preventions

Answer 21

1) The supernatural
2) Herbal remedies and bathing
3) 4 humours - bleeding
4) 4 humours - purging

Question 22

Describe the supernatural in terms of treatment and prevention

Answer 22

1) If the cause of illness was God, then God could cure illness too.
2) People could cure illnesses by: Prayers and spells
Praying and spells
Fasting
Charms and amulets
Doing nothing - If God had sent the disease to clean the soul, then it was important to let it run its course!

Question 23

Describe Herbal remedies and bathing in terms of treatment and prevention

Answer 23

1) Common ingredients included mint, camomile, almonds, saffron, absinthe and turpentine. Some of these were expensive and hard to find
2) ‘Theriaca’ was a spice mixture which was popularised by Galen
3) Warm baths were prescribed to prevent ill-balance of the 4 humours

Question 24

Define Phlebotomy

Answer 24

Bloodletting (fancy version ;))

Question 25

Define the 4 humours - Bleeding in terms of treatment and prevention

Answer 25

1) Phlebotomy was the most common treatment of ill-balanced humours
2) Done in different ways:
Cutting a vein
Leeches
Cupping
3) Some patients died from blood-loss but physicians were not held responsible!

Question 26

Explain ‘cupping’

Answer 26

The skin was pierced until it bled, a heated cup was then placed over the cut to draw out the blood

Question 27

Define the 4 humours - Purging in terms of treatment and preventions

Answer 27

1) It was believed that the humours were created from the foods eaten, a common treatment was therefore to remove any leftover food
2) This was done by giving patients an ‘emetic’ or a laxative
3) Often were very strong and bitter

Question 28

Define an emetic

Answer 28

Something given to patients to make them vomit

Question 29

State 5 ways disease was thought to be prevented

Answer 29

1) The Church
2) Bathing
3) Purifying the air
4) Diet
5) Hygiene

Question 30

What is a pomander

Answer 30

A large locket containing bunches of flowers which some people carried around

Question 31

Who would you visit for treatment in the Middle Ages?

Answer 31

1) Physicians
2) Apothecaries
3) Bar Surgeons
4) Women

Question 32

Describe Physicians in terms of treatment

Answer 32

1) A degree took between 7 and 10 years - very well respected
2) They mainly diagnosed treatment, not actually treat him/her
3) They were very expensive as their training took a long time and there weren’t many of them

Question 33

Describe Barber Surgeons in terms of treatment

Answer 33

1) They were the least qualified medical professionals
2) Had sharp knives and a steady hand so could cut effectively
3) Some were highly trained
4) Learned from practical experience instead of books
5) Mildly expensive

Question 34

Describe Apothecaries in terms of treatment

Answer 34

1) They mainly mixed herbal remedies
2) Usually had a good amount of knowledge - clever
3) Basically clever potion mixers
4) Cost = Less than a physician, more than a barber surgeon

Question 35

Describe women in terms of treatment

Answer 35

1) Most people were treated by women at home
2) Involved making the patient comfortable, preparing food, and mixing herbal remedies
3) They were completely free

Question 36

State 5 reasons on “Did Medieval hospitals help the sick?”

Answer 36

1) Medical schools were opened up as well as hospitals run by monks and nuns
2) Nearly 1200 hospitals existed, but only 10% cared for the sick
3) Doctors only treated the wealthy
4) Hospitals were new in Britain, but much more common in other places, especially the Middle-East
5) Some hospitals specialised in certain types of patients i.e. maternity