Medicine - Renaissance

Question 1

When was the Printing Press invented?

Answer 1

1440

Question 2

What was the importance of the Printing Press for the progress of medicine?

Answer 2

• Church had less control over books therefore different information could spread
• Medical textbooks could be filled accurately, quickly and cheaply helping to spread ideas rapidly

Question 3

What was believed to cause disease in the Renaissance period?

Answer 3

Same as medieval:
- Miasma
- Four Humours
- God

Question 4

What was the importance of Andreas Velasius?

Answer 4

• Corrected over 200 of Galen’s mistakes e.g
  human jaw bone is made up of two bones
  human breastbone has 3 parts, not 7
  blood does not flow into the heart through invisible holes in the septum (the wall dividing the ventricles of the heart) but is ‘diffused’ through it
• He wrote “The Fabric of the Human Body”, 1543

Question 5

What is Harvey‘s importance during the renaissance?

Answer 5

• Corrected Galen’s idea that blood is made in the liver and he discovered the heart is a pump.
• Published book in 1628, “On the motion of the heart and blood in animals

Question 6

What was Thomas Sydenham known for?

Answer 6

• Improved diagnosis by emphasising the importance of observing the patient’s symptoms and medical history and then providing an appropriate remedy.
• First to record Scarlet Fever
• Published his book “Observationes Medicae” (Medical Observations) in 1676, his work led to a more scientific approach in 18th century

Question 7

What was the Royal Society?

Answer 7

The Royal Society was founded in 1660 in London to support scientists in carrying out experiments, debating new ideas and sharing new discoveries. The Royal Society was supported by Charles II, which increased the popularity and credibility of the organisation. In 1665, the society began to issue its scientific journal. In the 21st century, The Royal Society continues to publish scientific journals and carries out its mission across the UK and globally.

Question 8

When was the Great Plague?

Answer 8

1665

Question 9

How did people attempt to prevent getting the great plague?

Answer 9

• place strong-smelling herbs and flowers over doorways and windows to prevent bad air from entering their house
• hold posies to their nose when they walked in the streets
• chew tobacco, which was new to England, hoping that the strong smell would fight off any bad air carrying the plague

Question 10

How did the government respond to the Great Plague?

Answer 10

• Victims and their families were shut in their homes for 40 days and prevented from leaving so that they could not spread the illness by human contact. This was known as quarantine.
• Barrels of tar and bonfires were lit in the streets to clean the air.
• Animals were banned inside the city as it was thought they could spread the illness.
• Events that attracted large crowds, such as plays and games, were banned to prevent the illness spreading through human contact.

Question 11

How were people treated differently in the Renaissance in comparison to the Medieval?

Answer 11

Treatment remained mostly the same:
- bloodletting and purging still common
- Herbal remedies were still used. An increase in travel brought new ingredients to England, such as rhubarb and tobacco, that were used to treat the sick.
- Religious beliefs e.g touching the King as he is God’s representative

Question 12

What were the main technological advancements for medicine during the Renaissance?

Answer 12

• Printing Press (1440)
• Microscope (1590)
• Surgeon skills improved with using opium as an anaesthetic, however incorrect dose could kill.
• Scientific method became more popular