Renaissance - grade 9 knowledge

What continuity was there in ideas on cause of disease

• most physicians and people still thought 4 humours caused disease, King Charles II diagnosed using them 1685

• Astrology: Jupiter + Saturn aligning 1664 blamed for great plague by many

• During great plague, people blamed god

• Miasma; used by physicians and healers diagnosis

What change was there in treatment of disease

• chemical cures: alchemy inspired by Paracelcus, also called iaotrochemistry

• College of Physicians suggested 122+ chemicals to treat 2140 illnesses.

• Antimony used purge illness by encouraging sweating+sickness, but didn’t understand its poisonous, mercury (also poisonous) used for smallpox

• Transference: illness transferred from patient to something else if rubbed object on it, e.g rubbing onion on wart, transfer wart to onion

What continuity was there in treatment of disease (blood letting)

• Bleeding + purging, King Charles II bled and purged, rhubarb used to purge bowels during Great Plague, but weakened patients + didn’t work

Continuity in treatment of disease (religious)

• Many believed king’s royal touch could cure as he was close to god.

• Over 92,000 visited Charles II, believing he could cure skin disease scrofula

• Many still prayed during Great Plague

Continuity in treatment of disease (supernatural)

• New London Dispensary: suggested magic cure malaria, “cut off hair, feed to birds in an egg and put inside a tree”

• During Great Plague, magical charms continued use