Roman Medicine Flashcards
Who treated illness in Roman times?
Doctors were mainly Greek, at first they were prisoners of war but later came to Rome to work.
Army surgeons treated a wide range of illness and injury.
Priest of Asclepius continued to treat some illness.
How was illness treated in the Roman period?
Natural - Galen adapted the Theory of the Four Humours to rebalance the humours by using the opposite humour.
Some supernatural - People continued to visit temples of Asclepius, they were ‘visited’ by Asclepius and his daughters Hygeia and Panacea, some people were cured (the placebo effect/temples were quiet and had baths & gyms).
What did the Romans think caused illness?
Imbalance of the four humours - Black bile, Blood, Yellow bile, Phlegm. When these are in balance people are healthy, when you have too much of one you become unhealthy.
Seeds of disease - dirty water ‘infected the air’ with seed of disease (developed through experience with the army).
Gods caused and cured disease - The Romans adopted the Greek God of Healing, Asclepius.
What surgery could the Romans do?
Mainly external surgery but they could successfully remove cataracts from the eyes. They had steel instruments which were more accurate.
What anatomical knowledge did the Romans have?
Alexandria continued to be the centre of medical knowledge but dissection outside of Alexandria was illegal. Galen wrote books on anatomy but of his work was inaccurate as it was based on dissection of animals like pigs and apes.
Could the Romans control pain, bleeding and infection?
Pain - Used drugs such as hemlock and opium as anaesthetics but dosages were imprecise and dangerous.
Bleeding - Could not control bleeding effectively, tended to cauterise wounds.
Infection - Used wine and turpentine as antiseptics.
What factors affected medicine in the Roman period?
War - Experience with the army (soldiers became ill when camped too close to latrines & swamps) led to a complex system of public health. Army surgeons became experienced due to War.
Individuals - Galen adapted the Theory of the Four Humours (Opposites to treat) and developed the ‘seeds of disease’ theory. He wrote many books on anatomy.
Government - The strong central government funded a complex system of public health throughout the empire.
What was Public Health like in the Roman Period?
Experience with the army (soldiers became ill when camped too close to latrines & swamps) led to a complex system of public health.
Public baths, fountains and toilets were supplied with fresh water from aqueducts. Sewers removed waste from towns.
