Medieval Period Flashcards
Astrology
When planets like Saturn or Mars were out of line, this was used as an explanation for big outbreaks of disease like the Black Death.
Miasma
Bad fumes in the air were believed to be a cause of disease. People would try and purify the air to please God.
The Catholic Church
Was supremely powerful in society and restricted what ideas to do with medicine were acceptable. They only allowed the Four Humours.
The Four Humours
The rational way of explaining illness, the balance of Humours in a patient was believed to affect their health.
The Regimen Sanitatis
Was a well followed guide on the importance of bathing and praying to stay healthy.
Flagellation
A way people would try to prevent illness, they believed the suffering would show God they were sorry for their sins.
Humoural Treatments
Bleeding and purging, people would bleed either using leeches, cutting veins or “cupping” to suction out the blood. Purging would be done with camomile.
Herbal Remedies
Herbs that people used included Therica and ingredients like honey oil, mallow and camomile.
Medieval Hospital Care
Hospitals were mainly staffed by religious devotees, you would go for rest not treatment. A fresh diet of salmon and vegetables and fresh bedding would be provided. Physicians would sometimes visit.
Physicians
Would use star charts and urine charts.
Apothecaries
People who mixed herbal remedies and had good knowledge of which plants had healing powers thanks to a good study of materia medica.
Barber Surgeons
Would do things like remove boils from heads and arrows from bodies, surgical tools would be basic and dirty.
Care in the home
Would see hospital as a chance to escape chaotic towns
Treating the Black Death
Bleeding and purging using herbs like mallow, camomile, honey, wheat barn and onions. Physicians and Barber surgeons often lanced the buboes on people’s skin as it was thought draining them would help.
