Medieval - Medicine Through Time (1250-2000+)

Question 1

Medical Knowledge: Give two ideas of Hippocrates

Answer 1

Four Humours

Hippocratic Oath (Doctor swears to have the best interests of the patient)

Clinical Observation (Studying the body with five sense and not rely on the Gods)

Question 2

Medical Knowledge: Give two ideas of Galen

Answer 2

The Theory of Opposites (Treat the imbalanced humour with the direct opposite)

Brain controls the body

Blood was produced by the Liver

Jaw bone was made up of two bones

Breast Plate was made of seven bones

Question 3

Anatomy: What animals were studied by Galen to reach his findings?

Answer 3

Pigs & Monkeys

Question 4

Anatomy: Why was Galen unable to understand the Human body correctly?

Answer 4

Dissection was banned in Ancient Rome

He only practiced on Pigs & Monkeys

He used a lot of guesswork to fill in the gaps of knowledge

Monkeys & Pigs are vastly different to Humans

Question 5

Factors: Give two reasons why Galen and Hippocrates became so important during the Medieval Age

Answer 5

Church promoted their ideas as it fitted with ‘Creation’ and biblical teachings of ‘one God’

Dissection was banned by the Catholic Church so Galen was promoted as factual correct

Books were expensive and housed in Religious libraries, physicians and doctors were read Galen as fact.

Question 6

Science & Tech: What is a Physician?

Answer 6

A (Medieval) Doctor

Question 7

Science & Tech: What is a Barber-Surgeon?

Answer 7

A surgeon who could stitch wounds, amputate limbs and carry out bleeding

Also trained as a Barber, so cut hair on the side.

Question 8

Science & Tech: Give one fact about the Barber Surgeon

Answer 8

Trained through an apprentice system

They would often work on the battlefield to repair and treat wounds.

Many patients would better off not going; tools were reused without cleaning and many died in shock or from blood loss.

Question 9

Science & Tech: Why did people not visit the Physician in Medieval Era?

Answer 9

Doctors were rare. By 1200 there was fewer than 100 Physicians in the whole of England.

They were the privilege of the rich. Many would get treatment instead in the home or from the local community (Wise Woman)

Question 10

Science & Tech: What training would a Medieval Physician get?

Answer 10

Training would exist by going to University.

Here they could hear about dissections by reading Galen’s work or watch a dissection (rare)

If they had a chance to dissect (rare) it was not to study and gain new knowledge but to reinforce Galen.

Question 11

Disease: When did the Black Death arrive in Britain?

Answer 11

1348

Question 12

Knowledge of Disease: Name four causes of the Black Death (or other diseases)

Answer 12

Bad Air/Miasma

The Imbalance of the Four Humours

God, punishing for sin.

Stars, Planets & Superstition

Question 13

Public Health: Who ran the Hospitals that sprang up in the late Medieval Era?

Answer 13

The Church

Monks & Nuns

Question 14

Public Health: Name one issue with the care provided by the Church

Answer 14

Hospital care was based on religion.

As such; treatment did not exist to cure or prolong life.

Main treatments were based on religion and had no effect - such as Prayer.

Question 15

Treatments: Name a treatment people conducted during the Black Death

Answer 15

Bleeding (Theory of Opposites)

Purging/Making oneself sick (Theory of Opposites)

Lighting Bonfires

Shutting people up in homes to die.

Herbal Remedies.

Whipping to cleanse sins (Flagellation)

Question 16

Argument: Why was there little progress in medicine during the Medieval Era - The Church

Answer 16

Church held too much control over ideas.

Church promoted the incorrect ideas of Galen

Church ensured that new discoveries could not be made as they banned dissection

Church promoted superstitious ideas - such as God was punishing people for sin.

Question 17

Argument: Why was there little progress in medicine during the Medieval Era - Government

Answer 17

Government was more interested in warfare and not public health

Government was overwhelmed and could do very little but issue fines.

Cities like London were growing and did not know how to solved overpopulation.

Question 18

Science & Tech: What was invented towards the end of the Medieval Era that would have an impact on the Renaissance?

Answer 18

The Printing Press (1460’s)

Question 19

Individuals: What was a wise woman?

Answer 19

A local woman with knowledge of plants and herbs

Question 20

Disease: How many people perished during the Black Death in England?

Answer 20

Estimated 40% or 1/3 - As high as 60% in London based on wills