Medieval medicine Flashcards
What was medicine like in the dark ages?
After the Romans left Britain, there was a period of history with a lack of written records. this is called the dark ages. Health in this period of time was very poor:
- People did not know how to read Roman medical books and follow through proper treatments, this meant that people only used herbal remedies and often died from the smallest injuries.
- The diet was poor. People ate what they had (bread, beans, peas, barley, wheat) which led to malnutrition and lack of vitamins, causing the immune system to weaken and thus disease more common.
- Living conditions were poor. People lived in dark and damp huts with their animals. This led to the spread of dysentery and other diseases.
- The work was harsh. People worked all day in every weather. They got cuts and the cuts got infected with dirt.
- Brutal fighting was always common and the lack of real medicine meant that small wounds got infected.
- People worked closely with animals and thus got disease from them.
- They had bad hygiene habits which made disease and infections more likely.
How effective were dark ages treatments?
Some were quite effective. They rubbed onions and garlic into wounds which have antibacterial properties. They used willow leaves as painkillers. They contain a similar chemical to that of modern day aspirin.
What was Islamic medicine like?
The Muslims got their medical knowledge from books written by people like Hippocrates and Galen. They translated them into Arabic and used to develop their own medicine, helping to preserve the knowledge.
Some famous Muslim doctors/ surgeons were:
1. Rhazes (AD865)- He agreed with Hippocrates and Galen on treatment methods, but warned against trusting everything a book says and to be more reliant on experience.
2. Ibn Sina (AD980)- Wrote books containing treatments for all sorts of diseases and were used as textbooks until the 1600s.
3. Abulcasis- Translated books written by Paul of Aegina.
What were Islamic treatments like?
The Islamic religions teaches that doctors should look after the sick and needy. Many hospitals were built in the Islamic world and doctors often treated the poor for free, while earning huge amounts from wealthy patients.
Doctors would use observation and examination to identify the disease, and then use a range of substances made from animals and plants as treatment.
What was the state of cities in the middle ages?
Streets were dark and narrow. Houses were right next to each other. People dumped human waste, rubbish and sewage onto the streets or into rivers where people get their water from. Butchers sold rotting meat.
In 1372, houses were banned from dumping onto the streets. Teams of gong farmers shoveled waste off the streets and into carts. Butchers were banned from selling rotten meat.
How were people treated in the middle ages?
The theory of the four humours was still believed. Doctors would examine urine, faeces, pulse or astrological charts to work out which humours were out of balance.
After they have done this, they will use a range of methods including giving ointments, herbal remedies, bloodletting and purging to re- balance the humours.
What were hospitals like in the middle ages?
Jesus taught people to look after the sick and needy. this means that the church began to set up hospitals all over Europe. Different types of hospitals were set up:
- Hospitals- places where the sick and old were looked after until they get better or die. priests and nuns looked after them and offered simple treatments, but doctors rarely came.
- Leper hospitals- Leprosy was very common in the middle ages. Leper hospitals were set up on the edge of towns not to provide cures (since there weren’t any), but to keep lepers away from society. It offered them a bed and a daily meal.
- Almshouses- A place where old people and pregnant people could stay and get looked after, but no real treatments provided.
- Monasteries- They were key medical centres since they contained medical books written by Hippocrates and Galen, so the monks had some medical knowledge. Most monasteries were also well equipped; with infirmaries, kitchens, clean water supply, waste disposal and gardens where medicinal herbs could be grown. the monks felt it was their duty to look after the sick.
What was the Black Death and how did it reach Britain?
The Black death was a plague that swept across Europe, killing half the total population. It arrived in Britain in 1349.
There were two types of plague; the bubonic plague and the pneumonic plague. The bubonic plague was spread by rat fleas biting humans whereas the pneumonic plague was airborne. Symptoms of the bubonic plague included fever, large boils developing called buboes and a rash. Symptoms of the pneumonic plague included intense coughing as the victims lungs rotted from inside.
What did people think cause the plague and how did they treat it?
- Miasma. Bad smells spread the plague. People were encouraged to wash regularly, avoid going outside and have sweet smelling things to eliminate the bad smells.
- Punishment from God. People called flagellants went around towns whipping themselves, asking for forgiveness from God.
- The position of the planets. Some believed the position of the planets caused the air to corrupt and cause the plague.
Factors
Religion:
The church was the most powerful authority. It liked old ideas and opposed change so people were not encouraged to question old ideas. The church also banned human dissections which meant that people had to go with what Galen said.
Women:
Women were not allowed to become doctors which meant that they could only stay home an look after the sick. They used herbal remedies passed down from mother to daughter
Public health:
The church provided the public health in the middle ages. It set up hospitals and other places to look after the sick and needy.
Doctors and nursing:
Doctors were important parts of society. They were the primary sources of medical treatment and research.
Surgery:
Surgeons did not require proper training as they were seen as no better than butchers. Barber surgeons performed small operations such as bloodletting while proper surgeons performed bigger operations.
Disease and treatments:
Doctors believed in the theory of the four humours and thus treated disease by trying to balance them.
