Medieval Britain 1250-1500

Question 1

Causes of disease in Medieval britain

Answer 1

• Disease was punishment from God
• Astrology
• Miasma
• Four humours unbalanced

Question 2

Treatments of Disease in Medieval Britain

Answer 2

• Religious/ supernatural: praying, saying mass, fasting, pilgrimages
• Humoural: Bleeding and purging, bathing, herbal remedies

Question 3

Preventions of Disease in medieval Britain

Answer 3

• Praying
• Basic hygiene - Regimen Sanitatis
• Purifying bad air
• Cleaning streets

Question 4

Hospitals and care in Medieval Britain

Answer 4

• 1,100 hospitals by 1500 - 30% run by church
• Provided clean places to rest and eat well
• Place for travellers to stay
• Most people were cared for at home, generally by women

Question 5

Physicians, apothecaries and barber surgeons in Medieval Britain

Answer 5

• Physician: University educated; only affordable for the wealthy; diagnosed illness by looking at urine, faeces and blood
• Apothecary mixed herbal remedies
• Barber surgeons performed basic operations and bleeding

Question 5

Important institutions in Medieval Britain

Answer 5

• Church controlled ideas about prevention and causes of disease
• Church was powerful and highly respected

Question 6

How did Medieval Britain deal with the Black Death

Answer 6

• Prayer, fasting, flagellation
• Lighting fires, carry posies and herbs to ward off miasma
• Local governments built cemeteries, enforced street cleaning and closed parliament in 1349