medieval medicine Flashcards
religious influence
the church held a lot of influence on medical practices and illness was moslty seen as a sin or punishment from God
what year did the Black Death reach Britain?
1348-killing around one-third of the population
four reasons why Galens theories dominated Medicine for well over 1000 years
1.church control over education:This meant that by the church having control over universities and medical training meant that they made sure to ensure that Galens teachings were being taught which made it the primary source of knowledge during the Medieval ages
2.limited alternative explanations:there was a lack of alternative theories making Galens ideas seem rational and logical to many. There church’s emphasis on tradition and established knowledge also discouraged people form questioning Galens knowledge
- the fact that they could write when the literacy rates were so low during these times made they seem more respected and establishes
- Galen’s belief in a soul and a creator aligned with Christian theology, making his ideas compatible with the Church’s worldview. This support from the Church helped his ideas gain widespread acceptance and influence.
barber surgeons:
no training
carried out bloodletting, pulling out teeth and lancing boils
cut hair
did basic surgery such as amputating limbs which had a very low success rate)
cheaper than a physician
what was blood letting?
removing blood from a patient
three examples of what people caused disease and what they tried to do to avoid catching it
1.God sent the plague as a punishment for their sin- flagellants walked in procession to a church, praying and whipping each other to show God how sorry they are are and ask him for his mercy
2.belief in miasma (bad smelling air cause disease)-carrying herbs and spices to avoid breathing in the ‘bad air’
3.outsiders:strangers or witches had caused the disease-not letting unknown people enter the town or village
