Romans

Question 1

Why was public health important the Romans?

Answer 1

They understood that you need a healthy army to control and expand your empire.

Question 2

Name the (5) aspects of Roman Public health

Answer 2

1) Aqueducts
2) Public toilets
3) Water fountains
4) Roman Baths
5) Sewers

Question 3

Say three things about Public toilets in Ancient Rome.

Answer 3

They were free to use
They seated up to 20
Waste was flushed away from city

Question 4

Why were Roman water fountains good?

Answer 4

They provided clean and safe (not dirty) water for the Romans to drink. This meant they weren’t getting diseases from the dirty water

Question 5

What would happen at a Roman bath?

Who were they available to?

Answer 5

Waxed by slaves, steam, swim, ice plunge and cleansed with oil. Also acted as social hubs.

Low prices meant it was affordable to everyone.

Question 6

What were two types of waste removal in Ancient Rome?

Answer 6

Sewers removed waste from cities

Government organised water collections

Question 7

Describe the Roman Sewage system

Answer 7

Built from stone, they carried waste from latrines and The Baths, (it was flushed out by rain water). The waste was emptied in rivers

Question 8

How many gallons of water a day did the Wroxeter aqueduct transport?

Answer 8

2 million gallons of water

Question 9

Describe how Aqueducts worked…

Answer 9

Fresh water was pumped through wooden/lead pipes into towns/cities, where the water was stored in reservoirs before being distributed

Question 10

What were hospitals like in Ancient Rome

Answer 10

There weren’t any in towns but each Army fort had a Army hospital; with 4 beds and a surgeon

Question 11

What three things did Hippocrates believe in / follow?

Answer 11

The four humours
Clinical observation
The prevention of illness

Question 12

What were the four humours? What happened if they became unbalanced?

Answer 12

Phlegm, black bile, yellow bile and blood.

If they were unbalanced then you’d become sick.

Question 13

What is meant by clinical observation?

How did Hippocrates use clinical observation?

Answer 13

Studying an ill patient, making notes about the progression of the disease and symptoms.
Hippocrates could use his knowledge from clinical observation to predict what symptoms meant.

Question 14

What approach did Hippocrates ‘reject’?

How did he approach illness?

Answer 14

The rejection of supernatural beliefs.

He believed in the prevention of illness; holistic, diet, exercise and cleanliness

Question 15

How did Galen build on Hippocrates ideas? Can you name an example

Answer 15

He developed on the four humours with The theory of opposites; that you could re-balance the humors if you were ill. e.g for a cold (too much phlegm) eating Chillies would rebalance humours.

Question 16

Where had Galen studied as a young surgeon?

Why was Galen so influential?

Answer 16

At a Gladiator school-knew about wounds
He’d been Doctor to the Roman emperor. The church also supported his teachings as they fitted in with their beliefs God created people

Question 17

What did Galen prove controlled the body and how?

Answer 17

The brain - not the heart - he cut a pigs spine (in front of a live audience-credible) to show how it stopped the pig squealing .

Question 18

How long was Galen’s work studied for?

Answer 18

For 1500+ years. Up until the Renaissancce.

Question 19

Name one wrong thing Galen taught…

Answer 19

The heart consumed blood.

The jaw bone was fused.

Question 20

Why was it hard to study the human anatomy in Ancient Rome?

Answer 20

Human dissection wasn’t ‘allowed’ because of religious beliefs. Human anatomy was based on that of animals instead.

Question 21

What were the three causes people believed caused illness in Ancient Rome?

Answer 21

1) Imbalance of the four humours
2) (punishment from) Gods
3) bad smells - miasma

Question 22

Name two supernatural treatments?

Answer 22

Prayer

Sacred necklaces/charms

Question 23

What happened in an Asclepion temple?

Answer 23

You would go there to pray and sleep, believing that overnight Asclepius and his two snakes would come and cure you (as long as you didn’t open your eyes)
In reality the Asclepian priests would treat you whilst asleep (if you opened your eyes you were murdered)

Question 24

Name the 2 Roman ‘trained’ Roman medics…

Answer 24

1) Hippocratic Doctor; trained under Hippocrates - was expensive
2) Roman Army surgeon; amputations - was expensive

Question 25

Name 4 Roman ‘healers’…

Answer 25

1) Asclepian priests;
2) Wise woman; offered herbal potions
3) Medicine shop; ‘’ ‘’
4) Women; ‘obstetricians’ their knowledge was passed down through women relatives

Question 26

Describe Regimen (3 points) with examples…

Answer 26

1) Exercise daily; walk 2000m every day. Olympics every four years
2) Seasonal diets; Summer - ‘light’ foods to keep the body cool and moist. Winter - heavy (and more) food
3) Cleanliness; rub teeth with peppermint oil, wash face, clean nose and ears with perfumed oil

Question 27

How did they prevent illness from Miasma?

Answer 27

They wouldn’t build near swamps - bad smells.

Question 28

Why did Rome need to keep their population clean/healthy?

Answer 28

To prevent epidemics within the overcrowded cities.

Question 29

What happened after the collapse of the Roman Empire?

Answer 29

1) Medical knowledge was lost as libraries of medical books were dismantled/destroyed
2) Christianity spread in Britain - RomMan legacy
3) Roman public health systems were destroyed
4) Money was invested in war effort and on armies not public health and medical teaching

Question 30

Name 3 factors of change during this era…

Answer 30

1) War; caused a regression in standards
2) Government; invested in public health
3) Religion; infleunce of church
4) Communication; Galen and Hippocrates published books