Medieval medicine Flashcards
Where were medieval doctors trained?
They were trained in specialist medical schools, the first was set up in 900AD.
What texts were used in these medical schools?
Doctors were taught using the works of ancient writers like Galen.
Which theory still guided medical knowledge?
The theory of the Four Humours. This meant that treatments like bleeding were popular with doctors due to the perceived need to balance the humours.
Which organisation oversaw the training of Doctors?
The Christian Church
Why did the Church approve of the works of Galen?
Because he spoke about an overall designer of human bodies, the Church interpreted this as God.
What caused surgery to improve?
The creation of medical schools as well as surgeons gaining more experience due to warfare. This led to the creation of new surgical tools and allowed surgeons like John Arderne to do complex surgies like an operation on the rectum.
What did surgeons use to control pain?
The used a herbal remedy made up of hemlock, henbane and wine. However if they got the dosage wrong it could kill the patient.
What was the most common remedy to cure diseases?
Herbal remedies were used to treat diseases, in particular sugar was seen as being effective and was imported in large quantities by the 1400s. As well as foreign plants traditional plants and recepies were still used as treatment.
Which factors led to Western Europe gaining access to new ingredients for herbal remedies?
War: The crusades allowed Europeans to access the ingredients and remedies used in the Arab world. Communication: Trade with places like the Middle East and China gave them access to other new ingredients.
Who was responsible for building hospitals in Britain?
The Christian Church
How effective were these hospitals?
Only 10% of hospitals in Britain cared for the sick. Of this 10% many would only accept patients with particular illnesses for example some were maternity hospitals. If you didn?t have the relevant illness then you werent allowed into the hospital.
What was the main purpose of these hospitals?
They were designed to care for their patients rather than cure them. Patients were tended to by monks and nuns who had minimal medical training and were mostly on hand to make patients comfortable. They also prayed for patients.
How did religion help medicine to progress?
They set up hospitals and Christian orders like the Benedictines were set up to care for the sick. Monasteries also had access to running water which was purified in special tanks as well as washrooms.
How did religion hinder medical progress?
They banned human dissection which reduced knowledge of the anatomy, they also banned particular books which disagreed with the idea that God was responsible for curing the sick. In addition to this the Church claimed that diseases and illness were caused by God punishing you for your sins and that you could be cured or the disease prevented by praying.
