Renaissance Medicine Flashcards
How long was the Renaissance period?
From the 16th to the 18th century
What was “Renaissance” french for?
Rebirth
How did old ideas being abolished influence the Renaissance period?
- The Feudal System had been abolished in Italy which meant society was more equal and more people were able to get an education. This led to an increase in science and art.
- The Church allowed people to dissect the bodies of criminals for the first time, which meant people could start to understand the human body more.
When did the printing press come to Britain?
During the 1470s
Who was Andreas Vesalius?
A medical professor in Italy
What was Vesalius’ major medical breakthrough?
His work on human anatomy
How did Vesalius widen the understanding of anatomy?
- He performed dissections while being observed by
students
~ Stole bodies from the gallows to dissect
What were some of the books written by Vesalius, and when were they written?
- The Fabric of the Human Body (1543)
- Six Anatomical Pictures (1538)
When was “The Fabric of the Human Body” written, and who was it written by?
1543, by Andreas Vesalius
When was “Six Anatomical Pictures” written, and who was it written by?
1538, by Andreas Vesalius
Who was Thomas Sydenham?
A Renaissance physician based in London
What were some of Thomas Sydenham’s beliefs?
- Stressed that doctors took a full history of their
patient’s health and symptoms - Believed that all diseases were different and should
be treated accordingly - Believed in allowing the body to fight off illness on
its own - [Anti bleeding and purging]
What nickname was Thomas Sydenham given as a result of his attitude towards treating patients?
The English Hippocrates
What illness did Thomas Sydenham help make the first detailed descriptions of?
Scarlet Fever
What were some of Vesalius’ discoveries?
- The human jaw bone was made of one bone
[Galen believed it was 2] - The breastbone was made of 3 parts not 7
- There were no holes in the septum of the heart
[Contrary to Galen’s beliefs]
Who was William Harvey?
A doctor who worked as a personal doctor to James I and Charles I
What two kings did William Harvey work as a personal doctor for?
James I and Charles I
What were Harvey’s discoveries based off of?
Human physiology
How did Harvey make his discoveries?
He studied animals and humans, observing living animals’ hearts in action
What physiological theories did Harvey disprove?
- Purple “nutrition-carrying” blood was produced in
the liver and flowed through the veins to the rest of
the body, where it was used up - Bright red “life giving” blood was produced in the
lungs and flowed through arteries to the body,
where it was also consumed[Mostly developed by Galen]
What discoveries did William Harvey make?
- Blood circulated around the body rather than being
created
What book did Harvey publish about his discoveries, and when was it published?
“An anatomical account of the motion of the heart and blood” (1628)
What were some signs of stagnated medical progress at the end of the Renaissance period?
- Not many people believed Harvey’s theories
- When people attempted blood transfusions, they
were rarely successful due to blood loss, shock and
wrong blood types mixing - Bleeding and purging continued to be used, despite
being proven wrong by Harvey - Hospitals were fairly basic and were only for the
‘deserving poor’ - Many people went to Wise Women as doctors were
expensive - People turned to quack doctors
- Superstition and religion were still important, people
though the king’s touch could cure Scrofula
Who were Quack doctors?
People who sold medicines and treatments in the streets, the drugs they used were often fake
What disease was believed to be cured through the King’s touch?
Scrofula
How many people went to touch King Charles I to cure their Scrofula, and from what time period?
Thousands of people from (1600-1649)
How were hospitals evident of stagnated medical progress during the Renaissance?
- Many hospitals were for the sick and “deserving poor” - people who had worked a lot and were respectable
- St Mary of Bethlehem’s hospital was Britain’s first
“lunatic” institution, many of its inmates had learning
disabilities, epilepsy or were just poor, people even
visited to watch the patients for entertainment
What book showed that people still used magic based remedies during the Renaissance, and when was it written?
“The New London Dispensatory” (1682)
What scientist discovered the existence of bacteria in 1628?
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek
When did Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek discover the existence of bacteria?
1628
What were some medical setbacks during the Renaissance?
- Doctors still did not know that germs caused disease
- Until the middle of the 19th century, they blamed miasma
- Doctors were too expensive for most people
What were some benefits of the printing press?
- New ideas could be spread and debated more easily
- people could access books more easily
- The invention of the printing press also meant that the Church no longer had control over what was written in books. Therefore, it could not control medical education. Physicians and scientists were now able to publish ideas that challenged people like Galen.
- 600 editions of Galen’s books were printed between
1473 and 1599. Many people knew his theories, but
with many different versions around, his initial
message became unclear, making him less reliable
When was the Royal Society founded?
1660
What were some of the accomplishments of the Royal Society?
- They were acknowledged by King Charles, who
attended meetings, giving them a high status - They were important in spreading new scientific
theories and getting people to trust new technology - They published Robert Hooke’s 1665 “Micrographia”
which showed the first drawings of a flea made using
a microscope - Its motto was “Nullius in Verba” , meaning to “take
nobody’s word for it” - they wanted to encourage
people to be sceptical and question ideas
What book did the Royal Society publish that showed the first drawings of a flea under a microscope, when was it published, and who was the author?
“Migrographia”, in 1665 by Robert Hooke
What was the Royal Society’s motto, and what did it mean?
“Nullius in Verba”, meaning to take nobody’s word for it
What did Ambroise Paré invent?
Surgical instruments and limb protheses, e.g. artificial eyes from porcelain and glass
What book did Ambroise Paré write describing how surgeons should treat wounds and amputations, and when was it written?
“Treatise on Surgery” (1564)
When did Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek invent the microscope
1668, much more advanced microscopes were developed in the 1800s
What new ingredients for drugs were discovered during this period, and what diseases did they treat?
Guaiacum - Syphilis
Quinine from the bark of the Cinchona tree - Believed to cure malaria
Analyse Vesalius’ impact on medicine
His impact on diagnosis or treatment wasn’t immediate, however by producing a realistic description of the human anatomy and encouraging dissection, Vesalius provided an essential first step in improving them.
Encouraged doctors to investigate critically the claims of ancient medical authorities. He also worked closely with artists, to ensure that illustrations were both accurate and
attractive.
What chemicals were first used by Thomas Sydenham to treat which diseases?
(poorly worded sorry in advance)
- Iron to treat anaemia
- Quinine to treat malaria
+ Laudanum for pain relief
Thomas Hobbes quote
He’d rather take medical advice from an “experienced wise woman than a learnt but inexperienced physician”
When did Harvey’s ideas begin to appear in universities?
1673,
(Bearing in mind his book was published in 1628)
When was the first blood transfusion attempted, and who was it attempted by?
1795, By Dr Phillip Syng Physik
(Isn’t rlly renaissance)
When were the first blood transfusions attempted, after Harvey’s discovery of circulation?
In 1665 (Most of which were unsuccessful)
Analyses Sydenham’s effect on Renaissance medicine
His work established diagnosis as a more important part of a doctor’s work, as before, emphasis had been placed on PROGNOSIS, predicting what a disease would do next
he was one of the first physicians to describe the symptoms and course of epidemics of measles, smallpox, and scarlet fever, and to differentiate between them
What book was written by Sydenham, when was it published and what did it contain?
“Medical Observations” (1676) which contained descriptions of medical conditions such as gout, helping other doctors to diagnose illnesses more easily
why did the introduction of humanism decrease the churches influence on medicine
There was an increased focus on the importance of human factors rather than supernatural things. This was called humanism.
There was also a focus on direct observation and experiments to explain things rather than blame them on something supernatural.
This led some people to question the Church.
What was the reformation
the 16th century revolution that lead to the establishment of protestant churches
how did Pare, King Charles I’s doctor, debunk the bezor stone idea
he saved a criminal from being hanged, poisoned him and rubbed the bezor stone on him, it did not work
what were some signs of continuity in regards to the causes of illness
people still believed that disease and illness were caused by :
- an imbalance of the four humours - the theory of the four humours had been discredited by c.1700, but most people still believed in the idea
- bad air, or miasma
what were the direct impacts of Vesalius’s discoveries
His book was used to train physicians across Europe, including in England. Doctors were encouraged to carry out dissections themselves and carefully observe the human body rather than relying on old books.
- they led to an improved understanding of the human body
-Despite challenges, Vesalius’s work laid the foundation for modern anatomy and physiology, and his discoveries eventually became widely accepted in the centuries that followed.
why wasnt the discoveries of Vesalius widely accepted
- Despite his contributions to the field of anatomy, Vesalius’s understanding of certain aspects of human anatomy was incomplete. For example, he was not able to accurately describe the lymphatic system.
- The medical community at the time held firmly to traditional beliefs about human anatomy that were based on the teachings of ancient Greek and Roman physicians such as Galen. Vesalius’s findings challenged these long-held beliefs, making them difficult to accept for many
what did Sydenham believe people should do to diagnose a patient
He encouraged his students to:
observe a patient carefully
record a description of their symptoms
prescribe a remedy that would treat the disease
what were signs of continuity in the renaissance in regards to treatment
- continued use of herbal remedies
- use of bloodletting (King Charles II death)
- the role of religion
what were some impacts of the reformation by Henry VIII
After the Reformation, when Henry VIII closed the monasteries, the hospitals were taken over by local authorities. Hospitals were now funded by charity and run by physicians. In London, St Bartholomew’s was kept open in this way. Some hospitals were beginning to concentrate on treating the sick, aiming to deal with patients’ symptoms and illnesses. However, most hospitals continued to provide care in the form of food and warmth rather than medical cures.
why was the discovery of microscopes a medical breakthrough
Harvey was unable to explain everything about the circulation of the blood. He was unable to explain how blood moves from the arteries to the veins. Harvey believed tiny passages carried the blood but that they were invisible to the naked eye.
Soon after his death, this was proven by Marcello Malpighi, who used one of the first effective microscopes. He discovered tiny blood vessels that carry blood from the arteries to the veins. We call these vessels capillaries. Microscopes were a key technological development in the Renaissance that transformed medical knowledge.
