Medieval Medicine Flashcards
Describe Hippocrates’ Ideas and The Theory of the Four Humours.
-The theory was created by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC.
-States the universe is made up of four basic elements so the body must be made up of these too. All the humours must be balanced, if not a person gets ill.
-Continued to be popular in the Medieval period as it was very detailed and could be used to explain almost any illness. This was important as there was little scientific understanding at the time.
-Physicians often twisted what they saw to fit with the theory.
Describe Hippocrates’ Other Ideas
-Also created the Hippocratic Oath- a promise not to harm patients. This remained popular in the Medieval period and is still used today.
-Believed in observing and recording symptoms to learn from mistakes and identify illness in the future.
-Believed disease could be understood and treated- his ideas were rational, not supernatural.
Describe Galen’s Ideas and The Theory of Opposites.
-The theory was created by Galen in the 2nd century AD. The theory built on the ideas of Hippocrates.
-Developed The Theory of the Four Humours to include the idea of balancing the humours using The Theory of Opposites.
-Suggested to balance the humours, patients needed to take a treatment with opposite characteristics to the humour believed to be causing the illness.
-For example, choler which had hot and dry characteristics, would be treated with something cold and wet like cucumber.
Describe Galen’s Other Ideas
-Galen also spoke about the soul and humans being designed for a purpose which fitted with the Church’s teachings.
-In turn the Church promoted Galen’s work and by extension, Hippocrates’.
The Church had a lot of power so Galen’s ideas remained popular throughout the Medieval period.
Explain why There was a Lack of alternative theories during the Medieval period.
-There was a lack of scientific evidence to support other theories about the cause of disease during the Medieval period.
-Moreover, Hippocrates’ and Galen’s theories could be twisted to explain almost any illness.
-Physicians also tried to make new discoveries fit into old theories rather than experimenting to create new ones.
Describe Attitudes Towards Dissections During the Medieval Period
-The Church also banned dissections as it went against their teaching that the body should be buried whole.
-This meant new discoveries about anatomy couldn’t be made.
-However, a dissection could sometimes be performed on criminals.
-This meant Galen’s ideas were preserved as anything that didn’t agree with his work could be explained away as the body was a criminal’s so imperfect.
Explain why the Church was powerful in Medieval England
-The Church built churches, monasteries and convents throughout the country. These were important to communities because they provided basic needs.
-The Church’s buildings were paid for by a church tithe which made the Church richer and powerful.
Describe the Church’s Power Over Education
-Books were also produced in monasteries and libraries were maintained by the Church.
-In turn, they only promoted works that fitted with their teachings.
-Very few people would challenge the Church because many people did not receive any formal education, rather they learnt from pictures and stories in churches.
-The Church controlled medical learning in universities too.
Explain the Importance of book learning.
-Being widely read was a sign of intelligence because not many people could read at the time.
-Despite Hippocrates and Galen living many years before the Medieval period, their works were very popular at that time.
-This is because their works were only translated and available in Latin by the Middle Ages.
-These classical texts were used to teach medical students rather than practical experience.
-The authority of these classical texts were so strong that people believed them even when there was physical evidence suggesting they were wrong.
Describe Religious causes of disease in the Medieval period.
-A lack of scientific knowledge at the time meant that the causes of disease and illness were a mystery. The Church used religion to answer questions about illness.
-The Church taught that disease was sent by God. If you became ill, God could be sending the illness to cleanse your soul of sin, as punishment or to test your faith.
-This was very believable to people because they believed God controlled every aspect of the world.
-For example, the Church often explained famine by saying that God had sent it as a punishment for sin.
Describe the Importance of Bodily Health
-The Church taught people that their bodily health was dependant on their spiritual health so religion was directly linked to medical practise too.
-When people recovered, the Church would declare a miracle had happened due to the patient’s prayers.
-Blaming illness on God acted as ‘proof of the divine’.
Describe Supernatural ideas about the causes of disease in the Medieval period.
-Alongside the role of God, the alignment of the planets and stars was also seen as important for diagnosing illness.
-This is because of the influence of Hippocrates who was a leading physician in Ancient Greece.
-A physician would consult star charts to look at when a patient was born and when they fell ill to identify what was wrong.
Describe the Church’s View on Astrology
Astrology was frowned upon by the Church because it was seen as one step away from predicting the future or fortune telling.
-However, after the Black Death, astrology became more popular as The Theory of the Four Humours could not be used to explain it.
-As a result, the Church became more acceptant of astrology.
Describe Ideas about miasma during the Medieval period.
-Miasma was bad air that was believed to be filled with harmful fumes.
-Both Hippocrates and Galen wrote about miasma.
-Miasma was believed to be caused by swamps, corpses and other rotting matter that could transmit disease.
Describe the Link Between Religion and Miasma
-Miasma was also associated with God. A clean and sweet smelling home was a sign of spiritual cleanliness and incense was burned to purify the air.
-Homes that smelled badly suggested sinfulness and corruption.
-If a person was unwashed, people would avoid them in case they breathed in the miasma and contracted a disease.
Describe the Impact of the Church on the Continuity in ideas about Medieval Causes of Disease
-The Church controlled medical learning and chose which books were copied and distributed.
-It also liked The Theory of the Four Humours as it fitted with their teachings so promoted it.
-Galen’s work in particular fitted with the Church’s so was heavily promoted.
Describe the Impact of Science and Attitudes in Society on the Continuity in Ideas about Medieval Causes of Disease
Attitudes in society- Medieval England was heavily religious so few people wanted to criticise the Church.
-Physicians who didn’t follow classical ideas found it hard to find work.
Science- Physicians would try to make new discoveries fit with old ideas rather than experimenting to explain these discoveries.
Describe the Impact of Technology on the Continuity in Ideas about Medieval Causes of Disease
-The printing press was invented in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
-Although it did not directly lead to advances in medicine, it allowed for the much easier and faster sharing of texts.
-However, it did not have a large impact until after the Medieval period.
Describe Ideas about prevention during the medieval period.
-Most people believed that the most important and best way of preventing disease was to live a life free from sin.
-Regular prayers, confessions and offering tithes to the Church worked together to ensure that any minor sins were forgotten which prevented illness.
Describe the Importance of Digestion in Medieval Prevention
-Since the humours were thought to be caused by digestion, what and when you ate was considered very important in preventing an imbalance.
-Eating too much was strongly discouraged.
-Fear of digestive problems led to people purging themselves or using laxatives to prevent disease.
-Hippocrates recommended using an emetic every two weeks in the winter and to use enemas in the summer.
Describe the Regimen Sanitatis (Medieval Prevention)
-The Regimen Sanitatis was a loose set of instructions provided by physicians.
-It first appeared in the work of Hippocrates and later picked up by Galen. The advice was widespread and common.
-Ideally, physicians would create a Regimen Sanitatis especially for their patient, considering their predominant humours and lifestyle.
-This service was only used by the rich as it took a long time to do this for a patient.
Describe Ideas about the prevention of miasma in the Medieval period.
-Purifying the air to keep it free of miasma. They did this by spreading sweet herbs (lavender).
-This was sometimes carried as a bunch of flowers (posy) or placed inside jewellery called a pomander.
-People tried to make sure their homes smelled sweet and fresh.
-Floors were swept and sometimes sweet smelling herbs like lavender were spread out to keep the air free from miasma.
-Local authorities tried to make sure there was no rotting animals left lying around and pulled down or cleaned smelly public toilets.
Describe the Importance of Bathing in Medieval Prevention and Treatment
-Bathing was an important preventative measure.
-Bad smells indicated miasma and cleanliness was believed to be next to godliness so it was important to stay clean.
-Only the wealthy could afford a private bath but public baths were available for free.
-Poorer people also swam in rivers to keep fresh. Everyone washed their hands before every meal.
-Prescribed to help the body draw in heat to help dissolve blockages in the humours and steam out impurities. Herbal remedies could also be added.
Describe Religious treatments during the Medieval period.
Prayers and Masses- As the Church taught that disease was sent by God, people would pray to be forgiven and healed. They also prayed for a special mass to be said.
Fasting- This was a religious idea of going without food to show dedication to God. It was also believed to help balance the four humours.
Pilgrimage- A journey to an important holy place to reach a closer connection with God.
-This showed dedication to God which people believed would lead to forgiveness and a cure.
