Surgery from the Middle Ages to the 18th century Flashcards
Q: Why were surgeons looked down on by other doctors in the Middle Ages?
A: Surgery was not considered a proper part of medicine, and most surgeons were barber-surgeons who learned through apprenticeships, not university training.
Q: What types of procedures did barber-surgeons typically perform in the Middle Ages?
A: Small surface operations, such as tumour removal, blood-letting, and sometimes amputations for infected wounds
Q: Why were amputations so dangerous in the Middle Ages?
A: There was no anaesthetic, the risk of infection was high, patients could die of shock, blood loss was significant, and cauterisation was used to stop bleeding.
Q: What was cauterisation?
A: A method of stopping bleeding by burning the wound with a piece of red-hot iron.
Q: Why did surgeons have to work quickly during amputations in the Middle Ages?
A: To reduce blood loss and because struggling patients made the procedure difficult.
Q: What mild anaesthetics were used by medieval surgeons?
A: Hemlock and opium.
Q: How did wars in the Middle Ages contribute to surgical improvements?
A: They provided surgeons with many opportunities to practice and develop their skills.
Q: Who was John of Ardern, and what was his contribution to medieval surgery?
A: He was a famous English surgeon who developed new methods based on observation and practice, including anal operations.
Q: What was the traditional treatment for gunshot wounds during the Renaissance?
A: Pouring boiling oil into the wound to cauterise it.
Q: How did Ambroise Paré revolutionize the treatment of gunshot wounds?
A: He used an ointment made with turpentine instead of boiling oil, based on a Roman surgery text
Q: What surgical innovation did Ambroise Paré introduce for amputations?
A: He used silk ligatures to tie off arteries instead of cauterising stumps with a hot iron.
Q: What was a drawback of Paré’s ligatures?
A: He did not sterilize them, leading to frequent infections.
Q: What remained unchanged in surgery between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance?
A: Most surgeries were still limited to blood-letting, amputations, and tumour removals.
Q: Who was John Hunter, and what was his approach to surgery in the 18th century?
A: A scientific surgeon who advanced surgery through dissection, experimentation, and new surgical techniques.
Q: How did John Hunter save a patient with an aneurysm?
A: He tied off the artery above the aneurysm, allowing blood vessels to regrow and bypass it.
Q: What discovery did John Hunter make about blood vessels?
A: Blood vessels can regrow after being tied off.
Q: How did John Hunter influence other surgeons?
A: He trained many surgeons, wrote books, and shared his innovative surgical ideas.
Q: Why did many 18th-century surgeons not adopt John Hunter’s methods?
A: Not all surgeons were as skilled or scientific as Hunter.
Q: What was a common problem with surgical tools and techniques during the Middle Ages?
A: They were not cleaned or sterilized, leading to frequent infections.
Q: What advantage did Paré’s ointment have over boiling oil?
A: It reduced pain and was more effective for treating wounds.
What were the disadvantages of surgery in the 18th century?
Blood loss, no anaesthetic, patient had to be held down, no understanding of germs or sterilisation
