Medieval Medicine (Middle Ages) Flashcards
What did these monasteries provide?
Clean water and toilets
What were medieval hospitals like?
Genuinely ill people were often turned away due to the fear of disease spreading
The return of Hippocrates and Galen
Hippocrates’ and Galen’s work were translated and accepted as the ‘whole truth’ in medical schools
Why were books created bringing together the ideas of Aristotle, Galen, and Hippocrates?
Because people during the medieval times believed that all of their ideas were the ‘whole truth’ and therefore were lived on.
Why did Muslims NOT criticise the work of Galen?
Because the Quran told them not to
What did medieval doctors believe caused illness?
The imbalance of the Four Humours.
the theory developed based on the position of the stars
Name three New Developments in Medieval Medicine
- Human dissection WAS allowed
- There were doubts about classical texts
- Doctors believe stars caused disease
Name two Supernatural Beliefs medieval doctors believed
- The church believed illness was a punishment from God for committing sin
- People believed pilgrimages/walks to holy shrines would cure illness
What Treatments did people in the Medieval Times believe would cure illness/disease?
- They prayed to God if they became ill
Name two developments in Surgery in the Medieval times
- Untrained barber surgeons performed operations
- Wine was used as an antiseptic (prevents infection)
Which did medieval people find healthier to drink; Beer or Water?
Beer
What was Medieval Public Health like?
Bad, human waste was disposed into the streets
How was the Black Death spread?
By coughing, sneezing, or black rat flea bites
How were black rats carried?
Overseas by ships
When did the Black Death arrive in Britain?
1348
Name the symptoms of the Black Death
Exhaustion, high temperature and swellings
What did people think caused the Black Death/how did they treat it?
Miasma (bad air) - sat between two large fires
God - they prayed in hope that he’d cure them
God - they whipped themselves to get rid of sin
Poisoned water - they blamed the Jews
Medieval Summary:
Doctors followed Galen’s ideas
Believed that God and the Devil influenced death
They believed that the stars/movement of the planet affected people’s health
The influence of the Christian Church
- The Christian Church grew stronger in the Middle Ages
- Monasteries controlled education
- Priests and monks were the only ones who could read
- The ideas of Galen were taught through medical books
