The Middle Ages c1350-1500 Flashcards
What did they think caused disease?
- The Four humours
- God or the Devil
- Miasma
- Desperate explanations
What is the Theory of the Four Humours?
The Four Humours:
- Black bile
- Yellow bile
- Blood
- Phlegm
An imbalance of these Humours was believed to be the cause of disease
Who created the Theory of the Four Humours?
Hippocrates
What is the Theory of Opposites?
This is a method of treatment of disease.
To rebalance the Four Humours by:
- Blood letting
- Laxatives
- Hot bath
- Cucumber/cold bath
Who created the Theory of Opposites?
Galen
He developed Hippocrates’ Theory of the Four Humours
What was the knowledge of human anatomy?
- Human dissection was banned so human anatomy was based on animals
- Mistakes were made and it was assumed that animals and humans were the same
- These mistakes were passed down through books
Who is Galen?
- A Roman doctor to the gladiators
- He was used to seeing organs and dealt with gruesome injuries
- Believed in God and believed there was a place in the body for the soul
What did Galen do?
- Dissected a pig which proved that the brain controlled the body, not the heart
- However, mistakes were made. The heart does not consume blood
Did the church support Galen?
Yes
Because he believed that the soul was God’s creation.
Who was in charge of doctors training and education?
The church
They used Galen’s work to train doctors
How was a barber surgeon trained?
In a butcher shop
How did a barber surgeon treat sick people?
- Amputated limbs
- Blood letting
How was a priest trained?
By a local monastery
How did a priest treat sick people?
- Prayer
- Rest
- Herbal remedies
- Flagellation
How was a trained physician trained?
Attended a medical school and passed exams
