The Renaissance Flashcards
changes in ideas of causes of disease
fewer religions/supernatural ideas
new rational explanations
reduced influence of the church
scientific approaches
continuity in ideas of causes of disease
miasma
theory of the four humours
changing influence of the church
religious ideas were challenged
challenged catholic church’s authority
new explanations looked for, instead of God
change in the work of physicians and scientists
fewer believed in astrology, no longer using astrology charts
urine charts used less
more direct examinations carried out, not relying on patients explaining their symptoms
thomas sydenham
didn’t rely on medical books
observed patients and recorded detailed symptoms
‘new idea’ - disease had nothing to do with the nature of the person who had it
based treatment on disease, not individual symptoms.
‘English Hippocrates’
development of printing
exact copies of texts could be produced and quickly.
reduced church’s control of ideas, no longer prevented ideas being published if they didn’t approve of it
books shared more effectively, and must faster across a wider area
more people gained knowledge
the royal society
aimed to further scientific understanding
recorded experiments
shared knowledge
encouraged new theories/ideas
sponsored scientists for research
1665, published Philosophical Transactions, scientists shared their work and ideas
ideas could be built upon, studied and challenged
new findings spread through the medical community quickly
King Charles II granted a royal charter to them.
hospitals
treating more sick people, less used by travellers/pilgrims
dissolution of monasteries by Henry VIII, most hospitals closed
some charity funded hospitals set up
pest houses - people with contagious diseases could go there
hospitals reappeared, run by physicians who wanted to treat them, not by religion
community care
most cared at home
physicians too expensive for many
members of community offered advice/remedies, some were paid
continuing treatments and preventions
herbal treatments healthy living cleanliness bleeding purging prayer superstitions
changes in prevention/treatment
removing miasma - draining swamps, sewage/rubbish removed
clean clothes, regularly changed
new herbal remedies, from newly discovered countries
alchemy, chemical cures using metals/minerals
theory of transference - trying to transfer the disease to other objects
lack of change
ideas slow to be accepted
no direct use
no improvement in understanding disease
continuity in training for apothecaries and surgeons
no university training
inferior to physicians still
continuity in training for physicians
years training at universities
based on textbooks, no practical
change in training for apothecaries and surgeons
apprenticeships then journeymen then masters
license needed
after training it could be issued
change in training for physicians
more medical books and drawings
new ideas about anatomy, inspired praciticals
dissections legalised
vesalius
studied medicine in paris in 1533
professor of surgery in Padua
carried out many human dissections
importance of Vesalius
improved understanding of the human body
study of anatomy became popular
proved galen’s work was incorrect, encouraged other to question his ideas
inspired others to dissect
his work was widely published ( The fabric of the human body 1543)
detailed illustrations of the human body
the great plague 1665 - causes
miasma
less believed in the four humours
disease could pass between people
the great plague 1665 - treatments
many the same as the Black Death theory of transference sweat the disease out herbal quack doctors
the great plague 1665 - government action
theatres closed large gatherings banned dogs/cats killed streets cleaned dead collected, to mass graves if caught the plague, separated from everyone else fasting/public prayers ordered
William Harvey
studied medicine at Cambridge then Padua lecturer of anatomy james I doctors carried out public dissections discovered blood circulation importance of observing and recording symptoms not just relying on textbooks
discovering the circulation of the blood
researched Vesalius’ theory that blood went to the heart
used dissected bodies and pumps to prove it only flowed one way
proved blood wasn’t produced by the liver and absorbed, as Galen had thought
influenced by technology e.g. water pumps
discovered arteries and veins were part of one system that pumped blood round the body
importance of Harvey
proved some of Galen’s theories were wrong
improved knowledge on how the body works
taught in medical schools
he gained credibility, inspired others to find more out
methods of observation and dissection used by others
left many unanswered questions, encouraged further experiments
