Medieval Medicine and Medical Progress Flashcards
What medical theory did Hippocrates develop?
The Theory of the Four Humours
Name each of the four humours
Black bile, Yellow bile, Blood and Phlegm
Which medical theory did Galen develop?
The Theory of Opposites
What was the theory of opposites?
The idea that illness could be cured by balancing the 4 humours
Which scientific method did Hippocrates encourage doctors to do?
Clinical Observation
What was the problem with the training of doctors?
They mainly learned from reading books and attending lectures rather than direct experience
Where was medical knowledge mostly taken from?
Ancient Greek and Roman ideas
Name 4 Places one could go to get cured other than a doctor
Local wise person, Barber-surgeon, Local monastery, Apothecary
What kind of care did monasteries mainly provide?
Palliative care
Why were they a good place to go to be cared for?
Well-financed so there was fresh water, toilets, and clean conditions
What was the purpose of a barber-surgeon?
To perform small surgical procedures like bloodletting and extracting teeth, and to cut hair
Name 3 ways Christianity helped medieval medicine
Monks preserved, translated and studied Ancient Roman and Greek knowledge, It controlled the training of doctors in universities, Provided free care to the unwell
What was the prevailing belief on illness?
That it was a punishment or test from God
What did the Church recommend as treatment?
Prayer, Donation to the Church, Pilgrimage to shrines
Name 3 ways Christianity hindered medicine
Approved of Galen making it difficult to criticise his incorrect ideas, Disapproved of human dissections making it hard to learn about anatomy, Discouraged doctors from exploring new ideas
Name 2 Specialist Hospitals set up
Lazar Houses outside of towns for people with leprosy, Bedlam in London to cure the mentally ill
When was Bedlam founded?
1330, opened in 1337
How many people could St Leonard’s Hospital in York care for?
200 People
Which two sources of finance were hospitals made from?
The Church, Wealthy patrons
How did Caliph Harun al-Rashid support the development of medicine in 805AD?
Opened up a large new hospital in Baghdad with a medical school and library
Name 2 Other Ways Caliph al-Rashid encouraged medical development
Encouraged Greek medical books to be translated into Arabic, Built up a very large library
Why were Muslims supportive of medical learning?
The Quran supported medical learning, as Prophet Muhammad stated that for every disease God had given a cure
What was the name of Islamic doctor Al-Razi’s most popular books?
Doubts About Galen
Which two scientific discoveries did Avicenna make?
Discovered new causes of pain, Improved Galen’s theory of how the pulse works
When was Avicenna’s book the Canon of Medicine written?
1025
Why was Islamic Learning not as helpful as possible?
Not all ideas about medicine made it across to Western Europe
Which important discovery did Ibn Al-Nafis make?
First to discover how blood circulated around the body via the lungs, challenging Galen’s idea that blood passed straight from the right hand to left hand side of the heart
Why was Galen’s mistake on circulation accepted until the 1600s?
Al-Nafis books were not read in Western Europe
Which key belief did Hugh and Theodoric of Lucca challenge?
Pus was needed for a wound to heal
What other material did Hugh of Lucca use as an antiseptic instead?
Wine
Who wrote Great Surgery in 1363, challenging Hugh of Lucca’s ideas?
Guy de Chauliac, French surgeon
In what year was Practica written?
1376
Which injury did John on Arderne develop a safer treatment for?
Anal abscesses, swelling common amongst knights that spent a lot of time on horseback
Which book did Al-Zahrawi write in 1000CE?
Al Tasrif, an encyclopaedia of medical practices
Which treatment was made popular by Al-Zahrawi?
Cauterisation
Name 2 Other Things Al-Zahrawi achieved?
Invented 26 new surgical instruments, Pioneered use of ligatures to tie off blood vessels
What were the 3 main dangers of Medieval Surgery?
Blood loss, shock and infection
Define Trepanning
Drilling a hole in a person’s skull to allow “demons” to escape
Which natural anaesthetics were used?
Mandrake root, Hemlock and Opium
Define Amputation
Cutting off a dangerous or damaged part of the body
Define Cauterisation
To burn a wound in order to prevent it from bleeding, usually by pressing a hot iron onto the wound
Define Bloodletting
Making a small cut on the inside of the arm to restore the 4 humours by letting blood out
In what year did the Black Death reach England?
1348
What number and percentage of the British population did the Black Death kill off?
1.5 million, 30-45%
Which two diseases was the Black Death a combination of?
Bubonic Plague and Pneumonic Plague
Name 3 Things scientists said the Black Death was caused by?
God, Astrology, Miasma
What was the Black Death actually caused by?
Fleas carrying dangerous bacteria from rats biting humans and infecting them
Name 4 Reasons the Black Death spread quickly
Overcrowding, Pneumonic form spread easily through air, Bodies disposed of badly, Filth and waste littered streets
Which devices were used to ward off bad smells?
Pomanders
How did Venice introduce quarantines?
Ships had to wait for 40 days before people were allowed to come ashore
Define Flagellation
Flogging or beating in order to ask God for mercy and forgiveness
Were any cures successful?
No
How was water kept clean in monasteries?
Elaborate system of pipes delivered water to the lavatorium, as filtering systems removed impurities by allowing dirt to settle out of the water
Name 3 Reasons monasteries had good health conditions
Good sanitation facilities due to wealth, Isolated from epidemics, Cleanliness considered as a good sign of piety
Name 2 Ways monks stayed healthy
Access to medical books allowed them to know about sanitation and clean water, Lived simple lives with a balanced diet
Who were gong farmers and what were their roles?
Gong farmers were workers tasked with emptying cesspits who were meant to take waste out of city walls but sometimes dumped it in a nearby river
Name 2 unhygienic waste products from businesses
Blood and guts from butchers, Deadly chemicals from leather tanners
Which law did Glamorgan County Council pass in 1330?
Stopped butchers throwing animal remains into the street
When did the London council introduce a fee for dumping waste into the Walbrook stream?
1374
Which important law on waste did Parliament pass in 1388?
People who threw dung and entrails into rivers and ponds would be fined 20£
