Paper 1 HISTORY GCSE (1) Flashcards
(20 cards)
What was the religious explanation of disease during the medieval period?
God as a punishment for a sin and proof of the existence of God
Example: leprosy, a skin disease leading to severe physical consequences.
What role did astrology play in the understanding of disease?
Belief that alignment of planets and birth charts could predict illness and future diseases
This idea gained popularity after the Black Death.
What is the Theory of the Four Humours?
Blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile
Originated from ancient Greeks, explaining health in terms of bodily fluids.
What is Galen’s Theory of Opposites?
To balance humours, consume opposites of the excess humour
Example: if too much phlegm, eat hot peppers or drink hot water.
What did the miasma theory suggest?
Air was filled with harmful fumes that could cause illness
Associated with bad smells from rotting matter, swamps, and corpses.
What was the purpose of urine charts in medieval medicine?
To diagnose illnesses by examining smell, taste, color, and thickness of urine
Used to check balance of the Four Humours.
Why did medical ideas remain unchanged for 250 years?
Influence of the Church, limited scientific understanding, societal attitudes, and the promotion of traditional ideas
Key figures like Galen and Hippocrates were heavily promoted.
What types of religious treatments were used in the medieval period?
Healing prayers, incantations, pilgrimages, and herbal remedies
Treatments varied based on astrological charts.
What is bloodletting (phlebotomy)?
Removing blood to eliminate bad humours
Commonly performed by barber surgeons and wise women.
What is cupping in medieval treatments?
Using heated cups to draw blood out through suction
Involves cutting the skin to create a vacuum effect.
What were apothecaries responsible for?
Mixing herbal remedies and providing treatments based on herbal knowledge
They were considered less knowledgeable than physicians.
What was the primary function of hospitals during the medieval period?
Hospitality and rest rather than treatment of the sick
Many hospitals were run by the Church.
What measures did local authorities take to prevent the spread of the Black Death?
Quarantine laws, isolation of newcomers, and cleaning streets
Enforcement of these measures proved difficult.
How did the Church influence medical education?
Controlled education and discouraged challenges to traditional teachings
Physicians primarily studied works of Hippocrates and Galen.
What was the impact of the Church’s teachings on the understanding of diseases?
Diseases were seen as divine punishment, limiting exploration of other causes
The Bible’s authority discouraged new medical ideas.
What was the King’s government’s role in improving medicine during the Middle Ages?
Showed little interest in improving medicine or public health
No taxes were collected for health initiatives.
True or False: Dissections were encouraged by the Church during the Middle Ages.
False
Dissections were limited to confirm Galen’s descriptions.
Fill in the blank: The Church taught that God controlled every aspect of life, including the spread of _______.
[disease]
What were the common methods of purging in medieval treatments?
Vomiting or using laxatives
Emetics were used to induce vomiting.
What was the role of women in medieval medicine?
Caring for patients at home and preparing herbal remedies
Women often planted herbs in their gardens for medicinal use.
