Treatments

Question 1

Urine Charts

Answer 1

Would examine the colour, smell and taste of patient’s urine - made an on-the-spot guess what the patient was suffering from

Question 2

Bloodletting

Answer 2

Blood was removed by opening a vein or using leeches.
~Was used to balance the 4 Humours as it was thought there was too much blood.
~Cure often didn’t work

Question 3

Whipping

Answer 3

Many people believed illness was punishment from God. They would avoid Gods punishment by whipping themselves for their sins - usually wounds would become infected and end up becoming sicker

Question 4

Zodiac Charts

Answer 4

Used to see which parts of the body were linked to which astrological sign - can help decide how to treat the patient
One cure might work on an Aries but not on a Pisces

Question 5

Getting rid of bad smells

Answer 5

People believed bad smells can cause illness.
Many people carried posies wherever they went so they couldn’t smell anything unpleasant.
Doctors wore masks containing flower petals so they wouldn’t smell anything bad whilst treating patients

Question 6

Prayers

Answer 6

As people believed God sent disease as punishment for sin, prayers and charms were often used as remedies.
Prayers were made to Christ saint who were said to cure specific illnesses

Question 7

Herbs

Answer 7

Medieval doctors had access to lots of natural healing herbs and substances.
E.g.
Red rose ground fine with ‘bamboo juice’ for small pox.

Question 8

Purging/Vomiting

Answer 8

Was used to balance Four Humours

Question 9

Pilgrimages

Answer 9

The church encouraged belief in miraculous healing.

There were many shrines filled with remnants of holy people.

Question 10

Amputation

Answer 10

This was cutting off a painful or damaged body part.

It was successful with cases of breast cancer, bladder stones and haemorrhoids

Question 11

Trepanning

Answer 11

It was thought epilepsy was caused by a demon inside the brain - by drilling a hole in a patient’s skull it would let the demon out

Question 12

Cauterisation

Answer 12

This was a method of burning the wound to stop bloody flow: it was usually done with a heated iron
- was immensely painful

Question 13

Anaesthetics

Answer 13

Natural substances such as mandrake root, opium and hemlock. These would put the patient’s to sleep, but a strong dose might kill the patient