Medicine: Medieval Flashcards
Who treated the sick?
- Barber surgeons (bloodletting and minor operations)
- Wise women (herbal remedies)
- Monks in monasteries (herbs, prayer, rest)
- Trained doctors (very expensive, used ideas of Hippocrates and Galen)
What treatments were offered by doctors?
Clinical observation (of urine or pulse), balanced the four humors; some also looked at position of stars or recommended prayer.
What obstacles to medical progress were there? (2 examples)
Lack of scientific knowledge/understanding
All medical training involved reading out dates church approved texts e.g. Galen.
Explain the influence of Hippocrates on diagnosis and treatment.
He emphasised the importance of clinical observation. Came up with four humours which was widely excepted until 1800, invented the idea of bleeding as a treatment.
What were the four humours?
Black bile, yellow bile, blood, phlegm. When someone was ill doctors thought it was because their humours were out of balance.
Explain the influence of Galen on training and treatment.
He believed in design theory so the church banned people questioning his work. He dissected animals to understand more about human anatomy. He used the four humours theory and stressed the importance of taking the patient’s pulse.
Explain the influence of the church on medicine.
Taught that illness was sent as a punishment from God; controlled universities so they only taught from Galen &Hippocrates’ books; banned human dissection so limited knowledge of anatomy. Recomended pilgrimages to try and get a miracle. Arrested anyone who disagreed with G&H’s ideas (e.g. monk Roger Bacon) . However it did set up 700 hospitals between 1000-1500.
Explain the function of hospitals in middle ages.
Provided a place to rest and recover; ran by monks linked to monasteries. Monks provided nursing care, prayed for people, gave them herbal treatments.
