Early Modern European Medicine and Health

These flashcards cover major concepts and events in early modern European medicine and health, focusing on the understanding of the human body, approaches to health, and responses to diseases.

What concept did early modern Europeans believe influenced their health and the human body?

The relationship between the Macrocosm (the universe) and the Microcosm (the human body).

What were the four humors according to early modern European medicine?

Blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile.

What did the balance of the four humors correspond to in early modern European thought?

The balance among the four elements: air, water, fire, and earth.

How did early modern Europeans believe disease was caused?

By an imbalance of the four humors or other factors like divine punishment, astrological influences, bad air, and infection.

What was one method early modern Europeans used to restore humoral balance?

Regulating diet based on the qualities of food (hot, cold, wet, dry).

What common therapy was used to remove excess humors?

Bloodletting.

How were astrology and medicine linked in early modern Europe?

Astrological positions were believed to influence health and were integrated into medical diagnosis.

What is the Doctrine of Signatures?

The belief that God marked plants with signs that indicated their medicinal uses.

How did the Scientific Revolution impact the understanding of the human body?

It emphasized observation, experimentation, and the use of measurement in studying the body.

Who is associated with the discovery of blood circulation in early modern medicine?

William Harvey.

What role did quarantine play in responding to the plague?

Isolating the sick to control the spread of disease.

What was the 'royal touch' in early modern Europe?

The belief that monarchs had divine healing powers, especially for scrofula.

How did global exchange impact European medicine?

Introduced new plants and medical practices, influencing therapies.

What is the 'medical marketplace'?

A term used to describe the diverse healthcare and medical practice available in early modern Europe.

Who were some practitioners included in the 'medical marketplace'?

Physicians, surgeons, apothecaries, midwives, herbalists, and unlicensed healers.

What was one challenge to the 'medical marketplace' concept?

It can overemphasize commerce and blur the lines between different types of healing.

What was one major criticism of viewing early modern healthcare as a 'marketplace'?

It oversimplifies complex social interactions and may ignore non-economic aspects.

What is the basic belief behind the four humors theory?

The health of an individual depends on the balance of bodily fluids corresponding to nature's elements.

What were patients expected to do within the 'medical marketplace'?

Choose their healthcare providers based on trust, knowledge, and price.

What two significant impacts did the Scientific Revolution have on medical practices?

Emphasis on observation and increased use of measurement and quantification.

What was a common explanation for the cause of the plague in early modern Europe?

Divine punishment or bad air (miasma).

How did early modern Europeans believe music contributed to health?

Music was used as a therapeutic tool to influence humoral balance.

What role did the 'zodiac man' play in early modern medical practices?

It linked zodiac signs to specific body parts for medical reference.

Name an herb or substance introduced to Europe through global exchange that had medicinal properties.

Tobacco.

What are some key characteristics of the 'medical marketplace'?

Diversity of practitioners, patient agency, and commercial competition among healers.

How was surgery viewed in the context of early modern medicine?

Surgery was often seen as a lower status profession compared to physicians.

What did the term 'medicalization' refer to in early modern medical history?

The process of defining certain conditions as medical issues under professional authority.

How were autopsies and dissections relevant to advancements in medical knowledge?

They provided direct observation of anatomy and causes of death.

What was significant about Santorio Santorio's invention?

He developed the pulsilogium, a device for measuring pulse and bodily functions.

What methods were implemented to manage health threats like the plague?

Quarantine, establishing plague hospitals, and issuing hygiene advice.

What did early modern Europeans believe about food combinations like pork and mustard?

They thought such combinations could achieve a balanced diet for restoring humoral health.

What political dimensions were involved in responses to health threats during early modern Europe?

Debates about individual versus collective responsibility in managing public health.

How did the classroom representation of dissection exemplify social hierarchy?

It demonstrated the difference in status between the lecturing physician and the dissecting surgeon.