Medicine Through Time - Medieval (from knowledge organiser)

Flashcards covering key concepts related to the causes, prevention, and treatment of disease during the Medieval period.

Supernatural beliefs

Views that disease and illness were punishments from God for a person's sins.

Leprosy

A painful skin disease mentioned in the Bible as a punishment for sin.

King’s touch

The belief that the king had healing powers, particularly effective for treating scrofula.

Four Humours

A theory that the human body was made up of four elements that needed to be in balance for health.

Bloodletting

A common treatment used to remove excessive blood from the body, often seen as a method to balance the humours.

Miasma

The theory that bad air, with harmful fumes from swamps and corpses, could transmit disease.

Regimen Sanitatis

Personal advice from a physician for maintaining balanced humours through diet and lifestyle.

Theriaca

A common herbal remedy mixed from up to 70 ingredients including ginger and cardamom.

Black Death

An outbreak of the bubonic plague, identified by swelling buboes, that had various explanations including punishment from God.

Pomander

A locket or posy of flowers filled with sweet smelling herbs, used to ward off miasma.