Medieval Britain Flashcards
Name two individuals who had an impact on medicine pre medieval time
- Hippocrates
- Galen
What is Hippocrates known as?
The father of modern medicine
What theory did Hippocrates come up with?
The Theory of the Four Humours
What did Hippocrates believe about all diseases?
They had physical causes that can be identified by observable symptoms
Which of Hippocrates’ ideas are still followed today?
- Observation of patients
- The Hippocratic Oath
What was the Theory of the Four Humours?
The idea that disease was caused by an imbalance of one of the four bodily humours (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile)
What theory did Galen come up with?
The Opposites Theory
What animals did Galen dissect?
Mostly pigs
Why were Galen’s ideas adopted by the church?
They supported the idea that humans were created by God
What discoveries about the human body did Galen make?
- The brain controlled the body, not the heart
- Arteries carried blood, not just veins
How did the church help the development of medieval medicine?
- Had infirmaries to treat the sick
- Monks translated Greek and Roman medical texts
- Followed Galen’s ideas
How did the church hinder the development of medieval medicine?
- Punished anyone who went against their ideas
- Believed praying could cure illness
- Followed Galen’s ideas
What was miasma?
The idea that bad air caused disease
What were the different places to go to if you were ill in the medieval times?
- To a physician
- To a barber surgeon
- To an apothecary
- To the local wise woman
What measures were taken in Coventry to improve public health conditions?
- Forced people to clean the street in front of their house (or they would be fined)
- Created designated sites for the disposal of different types of waste
- Banned dumping waste in the river
