Medicine through time- medieval Flashcards
(34 cards)
Who was Hippocrates?
An ancient Greek physician who created the theory of four humours
Who was Galen?
An ancient Roman physician who developed the theory of opposites
Who was Johannes Gutenberg?
German inventor of the printing press
What was believed to cause disease in the medieval period?
miasma, unusual alignment of the stars and planets, God’s punishment or test, the four humours
What was the role of the church and religion in medicine in medieval times?
hospitals were run by nuns, people paid tithes to prevent illness, special prayers could be requested for healing
What was leprosy and was believed about it?
Leprosy was a painful skin disease leading to paralysis and death that was believed to be a punishment from God
Between which years was the medieval period?
1250-1500 or 13th century to 16th century
What was the theory of four humours?
belief that humans are made up of 4 elements: black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm, that when imbalanced caused disease
What was the theory of opposites?
The belief that you could balance the humours by eating something of the opposite element e.g. cucumbers for sore throat
What was malnutrition?
illness caused by lack of food
What was famine?
food shortages, usually due to bad harvests
What did doctors use in diagnosis?
Star charts and urine charts
What was vivisection?
a person being dissected whilst alive and examined for scientific purposes usually as a death sentence
What were the places/people of care in the medieval period?
Physicians, apothecaries, barber surgeons, wise women or housewives
What were barber surgeons?
Barbers with no medical training that carried out procedures such as bloodletting or other minor surgeries
What were the actual causes of disease in the medieval period?
lack of personal hygiene, unclean water, rats and lice borne diseases, airborne diseases, overcrowding, close contact with animals
How did people try to prevent disease in the medieval period?
avoid sin, pray often, healthy diet, carry posies and pomanders, place sweet smelling herbs in the home, regimen Sanitatis
What were the medieval treatments of disease?
purging, bloodletting, herbal remedies, incantations, pilgrimages, being touched by a holy person, bathing, fasting, paying for special mass
What were the different types of bloodletting?
Cupping, leeching, slicing
What were physicians?
Doctors who trained for ten years and diagnosed disease in wealthy people
What were apothecaries?
Herbal dispensaries that mixed herbs recommended by a physician or had premade mixtures like theriaca
What were hospitals?
Church run establishments that provided clean and comfortable hospitality to pilgrims, old people and travellers without treatment
When was the black death and how many people died?
The bubonic plague arrived in Bristol in 1348 by trade routes and killed approximately 30-40% of the poulation
What actually caused the black death?
Yersinia Pestis bacteria carried by fleas who lived on rats, exacerbated by poor hygiene and overcrowding
