Medicine Through Time Flashcards
Why was the church influential in medieval times?
Ordinary people received most of their teachings there, the majority of people could not read or write so they learned for example that sin was very dangerous and could be punished by god
What was a supernatural cause of disease in the medieval times?
God had sent disease as a punishment for sin
How was Astrology said to cause disease?
A physician would consult star charts looking at when the patient was born and when they had fallen ill to identify what was wrong.
What was the Theory of Four Humours
All the humours in the body must be balanced and equal, if it became unbalanced, you became ill.
What were the four humours?
Blood
Phlegm
Black bile
Yellow bile
What three things were the humours linked to
Characteristics
Seasons
Personality Traits
Who was the Theory of 4 humours created by?
Ancient Greek Physician Hippocrates
Who developed The theory of 4 humours?
Galen
What idea did Galen come up with?
Theory of Opposites
What was the theory of opposites?
The idea of balancing the humours, for example, too much phlegm could be cured with hot peppers
Why was the Theory of 4 Humours so popular?
It was very detailed and could be used to explain almost any kinds of illness
How was Galens ideas supported by the church?
Galen believed in the idea of a soul which fitted very well with the ideas of the church. This means the church promoted galens ideas as books were produced in monestries and they controlled universities, their choice of texts were widely read.
How did the importance of book learning support galens influence?
Many people couldn’t read, therefore by being widely read was a sign of intelligence. Have read the works of Hippocrates and Galen showed that a physician was worth paying for.
How did the lack of alternatives support Galens influence?
There was a lack of scientific evidence to any other kind of theories that caused disease. Dissections were made illegal by the church.
What was miasma?
A bad air that was filled with harmful fumes, rotting matter could transmit this disease
How were individuals and the church influential for the cause of disease?
The church did not like change, the church controlled medical learning, it chose which books were copied and distributed. It promoted the theory of 4 humours as it fit with its teachings.
How were attitudes in society influential in medieval times?
People had a strong belief in God and did not want to risk going to Hell by being critical of him.
Give 3 religious treatments to disease
Praying
Fasting
Pilgrimages
What were supernatural treatments to disease?
Supernatural remedies such as charms and amulets to heal symptoms.
Where did the Black Death come from and when?
Sicily 1347
