MedicineThroughTime, c.1500-1700: Early Modern Medicine Knowledge Organiser

Apothecaries

Health practitioners who made up herbal remedies and often used new herbs from the New World.

Surgeons

Medical professionals who gained skills due to the prevalence of new wounds from wars and technology.

Physicians

Doctors who diagnosed illnesses and prescribed treatments, often based on observations.

Miasmata

A popular explanation for disease, believed to be created by foul-smelling waste.

Humanism

A belief system that emphasized human reasoning and the ability to make decisions.

Alchemy

An early form of chemistry focused on transforming metals and the pursuit of elixirs.

Great Pox

Another name for syphilis, a disease that was spread through contagion.

Quarantine

A method of isolating infected people to prevent the spread of disease.

Transference

The belief that illness could be transferred to another object or person.

Humoural Theory

A medical theory that linked health to the balance of four bodily fluids or humours.

Iatrochemistry

The study of chemistry as it applies to medicine.

Regimen Sanitatis

A set of health guidelines covering diet, sanitation, and exercise attributed to Hippocrates.

Royal Charter

A document granting rights or powers to a specific group or individual by a monarch.

Renaissance

A cultural revival in Europe characterized by a renewed interest in art and literature.

Quack Doctors

Individuals with no formal medical training who claimed to practice medicine.

Royal Society

An organization established to promote scientific research and knowledge.

Observation

The practice of closely examining patients' symptoms for accurate diagnosis.

William Harvey

A physician known for his work on the circulatory system and blood flow.

Sydenham

A respected doctor who encouraged systematic observation of disease symptoms.

Pneuma

The concept of the 'breath of life' believed to be vital for health by Galen.

Secular

Not connected with religion or spirituality.

New World

Refers to the Americas, including North and South America.

Case Study: The Great Plague

Refers to the 1665 epidemic in London that was attributed to various causes including miasma and divine punishment.