People's Health Medieval 1250-1500 Flashcards
(23 cards)
What were some of the key features of medieval britain?
Medieval towns were small but they were busy places
Food sourcing was very reliant on harvests- a bad harvest could lead to starvation
Water mills and windmills were the most powerful machinery. Printing presses only appeared in the 1470s
Almost everyone was christian and a member of the roman catholic church
What were the housing in the countryside like?
The lord of the manor usually lived in a large manor house
Peasants lived in small huts
What were the housing in towns like?
Houses were built together in the centre of towns
Only the wealthy had gardens
People were supposed to clean the drains and streets near their houses but not everyone bothered
What was the water like in towns?
Conduits were used
Water sellers sold water
What was the water like in the country?
Fresh water from springs or wells
Springs sometimes shared with animals so not always completely clean
What was waste like in towns?
Public latrines were used
Cesspits were used and then cleaned by gongfermors
What was waste like in the countryside?
Middens were used in the garden
Some cesspits constructed near village houses
What was the medieval diet like?
The poor ate bread made of rye which could contain a fungus which lead to death
Wealthier people ate cheese, eggs, nuts and fruit
The majority of people ate pottage
Ale was drank, healthier than the water in towns
When was the black death?
1348
How was the black death spread?
By fleas living on rats
Where did the black death originate from?
Asia
What were symptoms of the bubonic plague?
Buboes
Fever
Blisters
Death in a few days
What were symptoms of the septicaemic plague?
Bleeding
Diarrhoea and vomiting
Fingers, toes and nose turning black
What were symptoms of the pneumonic plague?
Coughing up blood
Chest Pains and trouble breathing
Death in two days
Give two common ideas about the causes of the plague by medieval people
- God was punishing the people for their sins
- Unusual movements of the planets
- Miasma, an invisible poison in the air
Give two example of treatments used for the black death
Tying live toads or chickens to the buboes to draw out the disease
Blood letting
Give three examples of ways that medieval people protected themselves from the black death
Burned rosemary to purify the air in their houses
People sometimes shut themselves away in their own houses
Rich people in towns often moved to the countryside
People whipped themself, hoping for god’s forgiveness
Why did religious communities like monasteries need clean water?
For religious ceremonies
Give 3 problems with towns
poor quality meat
Dumping waste
Filthy roads and market places
Dung heaps
How was the quality of food improved and what was the effect of this?
Guilds of food producers set standards and fined producers who did not adhere to them. This happened in Winchester in 1329. This had a positive effect, as the quality of meat was improved
How was the problem of waste dealt with and what was the effect of this?
Waste dumpers were named and shamed. This happened in Norwich in 1287-89. This led to a purer water supply
How were dung heaps dealt with
Dung heaps were moved to the edges of towns. This happened primarily in Bristol and York. This led to a decreased chance of bacteria spreading
Give two changes made in London to improve public healthcare
In 1385 a warden was appointed to check whether London’s streets and the banks of the Thames were clear of “filth and dunghills”
In 1415 the mayor of London ordered the rebuilding of a latrine at Moorgate because it had been flooding neighbouring properties with sewage
