Medicine 1

Why did the Church promote the idea that disease was caused by God?

The Church taught that disease was a punishment from God for sins or a test of faith, so there was no need to seek rational explanations for illnesses.

How did the Church influence medical education and ideas in medieval Britain?

The Church controlled education by running universities for physicians and restricting what could be read and written, promoting Galen’s ideas because they aligned with the belief that the body was created by God.

What role did monasteries and nunneries play in healthcare during the Middle Ages?

Many hospitals were housed in monasteries and nunneries, focusing on care rather than cures.

How was astrology used in medieval medicine?

The alignment of planets and stars was believed to influence health and was used in diagnosing diseases.

What are the Four Humours, and how did they relate to medieval medicine?

The Four Humours are Blood, Phlegm, Yellow Bile, and Black Bile. An imbalance in these humours was believed to cause illness, and treatments aimed to restore balance through methods like bleeding and purging.

What is Galen's Theory of Opposites, and how was it applied in treatments?

Galen's Theory of Opposites suggested treating illnesses with remedies that had opposite qualities to the symptoms, such as using hot peppers for excess cold

What were Hippocrates' contributions to medicine?

Hippocrates dismissed the idea that gods caused disease, focusing on physical causes and cures. He emphasized diet, exercise, rest, and clinical observation as the foundation of diagnosis.

What is the Miasma theory, and how did it explain disease?

The Miasma theory proposed that diseases were transmitted by “bad air” caused by decaying matter, often linked to sin.

How was bloodletting used as a treatment in medieval medicine?

Bloodletting involved cutting a vein or using leeches to remove blood, which was believed to balance the humours.

What was purging, and how was it performed?

Purging involved inducing vomiting or bowel movements using emetics or laxatives to remove excess substances from the body.

What religious methods were used to prevent illness?

Religious methods included living a Christian life, carrying lucky charms, chanting incantations, and self-flagellation

What rational methods were suggested for preventing illness?

Rational methods included keeping streets clean, bathing, exercising, avoiding overeating, purifying the air, and balancing the Four Humours.

What were some traditional remedies used in medieval medicine?

Traditional remedies included drinking herbal mixtures, sniffing or bathing in herbs, eating foods to balance the humours, and applying ointments to the skin.

How were religious and supernatural treatments applied to illnesses?

Religious treatments involved praying, fasting, going on pilgrimages, or paying for Masses, while supernatural treatments included wearing charms like a magpie’s beak for specific ailments.

Who were barber surgeons, and what treatments did they provide?

Barber-surgeons were untrained individuals who performed bloodletting, tooth extractions, and basic surgeries like amputations. They were more affordable than physicians.

How were the sick cared for at home in medieval Britain?

Care at home was typically provided by female family members, village "wise women," or the "Lady of the Manor," often for free.

What role did apothecaries play in medieval healthcare?

Apothecaries received training to mix medicines and ointments but had no formal medical qualifications. They were a cheaper alternative to physicians.

What were physicians' responsibilities in medieval medicine?

Physicians diagnosed illnesses by observing symptoms, checking pulses, examining urine, and consulting zodiac charts. They often referred patients to barber-surgeons or apothecaries

How did medieval hospitals differ from modern ones?

Medieval hospitals primarily focused on providing care and cleanliness for recuperation rather than treating diseases, often excluding those with infectious or incurable illnesses.

What was the Black Death, and how did it affect Britain?

The Black Death was a bubonic plague that reached Britain in 1348, killing about one-third of the population. It was spread by fleas on black rats from trading ships.

What were some beliefs about the causes of the Black Death?

People believed the plague was caused by God’s punishment for sins, unusual planetary alignments, miasma from decaying rubbish, poisonous gases from volcanoes, or an imbalance in the Four Humours.

How did people attempt to avoid catching the Black Death?

Preventative measures included praying, fasting, cleaning streets, smelling strong odors, balancing the humours, and restricting strangers' access to towns.

What were the symptoms of the Black Death?

Symptoms included swelling of lymph glands (buboes), fever, chills, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

What treatments were used for the Black Death?

Treatments included praying, holding lucky charms, cutting open buboes to drain pus, eating cool foods, taking cold baths, and burying bread that had been rubbed on buboes.