Medieval Medicine
Treatments
Prevention
Causes
leeches
Religion
Loss of blood
Praying to God
Individuals
Institution: Government
Small Group
Didn't like change
Onlycared for the wealthy
Galen: was the first to come up with the idea of dissection although he carried out his practices on pigs
Hippocrates: created the idea of the 4 humors: yellow bile, black bile, red bile, phlegm
Dumped feces in the streets
Towns were dirty
Religious causes: God sending them
4 Humors, knowing about balance
Animal body parts left in the street when butchers were finished with them
Latrines (toilets) were the streets
Church wouldn't allow people to think differently
Herbal Remedies
Made medicine to give to the sick
Apothecaries mixed ingredients to make ointments and medicines for physicians
Regular washing, teeth cleaning, combing hair, exercise in the fresh air and bathing in hot water
Urine samples
Cleanliness of towns: many town in the 1400's were cleaner than the industrial towns in the 1800's
Piped water supply
One of the most famous early hospitals was St Bartholomew's in London, founded in 1123
Zodiac/ superstition treatments (witches)
No effective anesthetic
They learnt to do basic procedures such as sewing wounds, splints for broken bones
Surgeons trained by observation
The medical Arab writers were called Rhazes and Han Sina (Avicenna)
The universities encouraged people to read books written by Hippocrates, Galen and Arab medical writers
Fewer tham 100 physicians in 1300 so only the rich could afford the fees
Physicians trained at universities for 7 years
Cauterizing- burn wounds
Improved through practice
Skull in Yorkshire was discovered which showed their skills with splinters on the bone and cutting holes to remove it
A surgeon saved King Henry V in 1403 when an arrow was pierced in his cheek so the surgeon John Bradmore created foreceps
Bradmore: discovered dressing wounds
1349- The Black death: believed to be caused by God
Much basic medical care was carried out by Monks or Nuns as they were taught how to read and write
Wise women- old wives tales