Change and Continuity

Microscopes

microscopes discovered bacteria and microorganisms

Miasma

Miasma become extremely popular during the Renaissance, mostly because of the Plague.

Influence of the Church

• Most of people didn’t believe God sent diseases anymore.

• Printing press was created and the Church was responsible for producing books anymore.

• The Reformation made society more secular

  • Protestant Christianity spread around that time too

• Galen’s theories (which were supported by the church) were proven wrong.

• Dissections were encouraged

Supernatural beliefs

• Astrology wasn’t as popular in the 1500s

• Many people believed the King’s touch could cure scrofula

Observation methods

Thomas Syndenham popularised the theroy that diseases were separeted from the patient’s actions.

Theory of the Four Humours

Most people didn’t believe in the theory of Four Humours by the end of teh 17th century.

Printing press

Anyone could write books and knowledge was spread quicker

Royal society

• Founded in 1660

• Helped spread scientific theories and got people to trsut new technologies.

• scientific journal ‘Philosofical transactions’ allows more people to rad about new inventions and discoveries

• Most people couldn’t read so it didn’t have a massive impact on society

Medical Knowledge

• set in 1518

• Studied Galen’s books and Dissections

• College of Physicians encouraged the licensing of doctors to stop the influence of quacks, who sold fake medicine.

• Explorations abroad brought new ingredients

• new weapons and wounds were being developed

• Henry VIII closed all monasteries - this caused a decrease in the number of hospitals since they were controlled by monasteries.

• Doctors were still expensive

Wise women

• Women who were skilled in herbal remedies and helped in baby deliver

Living conditions

• Overcrowiding

  • lack of light and fresh air

• Streets were unclen

  • there weren’t any sewage systems

  • no rubbish collector

  • hard to find clean water

Hospitals

• Hospitals were originally guesthouses attached to monasteries or convents.

• The first hospital set up specifically to care for the sick was the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris.

• Over 1,000 hospitals were established in England, such as:

  • St. Bartholomew’s in London (founded in 1123 CE).

  • St. Leonard’s in York, which could take up to 200 patients.

• Hospitals were usually small in size.

• Monks and nuns ran the hospitals, inspired by Jesus’ teachings to care for the sick.

• Benedictine monks included care for the sick in their rules.

• There was a strong link between religion and illness:

  • Illness was often viewed as punishment for sin.

  • Disfigurement was seen as a reflection of the soul.

• Hospitals aimed to "care not cure":

  • No doctor was appointed to places like St. Bartholomew’s.

  • People with infectious or incurable diseases were often not admitted.

• Despite this, patients received:

  • Care for the soul, food, warmth, and rest.

  • These comforts helped some people recover.

• Beds were arranged to face an altar, encouraging spiritual reflection.

• Stained glass windows and statues reinforced religious focus.

• Women were allowed to work as nurses in some hospitals.

Similarities : Mediaval and Renaissance

• Bloodletting

• purging

• Sweating

• Herbal remedies

• Fasting/moderation in diet

• Regimen sanitals

• Moving areas

Pest Houses

Pest houses were specialist hospitals for people with contagious diseases, such as plague, sweating sickness, and smallpox, often isolated from towns to prevent infection spread. They were small, poorly equipped, and focused on containment and basic care. Staff were typically not medically trained and run by local authorities, religious groups, or volunteers. Pest houses were a step towards specialist care for infectious diseases, focusing on containment and prevention rather than religious care. They showed a shift in public health attitudes, with a focus on controlling infection rather than healing.

Community care

Community care, a shift in healthcare from hospitals to homes or local communities, focuses on outpatient treatment and care, especially for the elderly, disabled, and mentally ill. It promotes independence and was government policy in the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher, supported by the NHS and Social Services. Patients with chronic or long-term conditions are cared for at home or in residential settings, with GPs, nurses, social workers, and care assistants coordinating care. Local authorities funded services like meals on Wheels, home visits, day centers, and support groups. Community care is similar to medieval hospitals but differs in medical training, professional staff, and government policy.