Overview: Medieval medicine c.1200-1500

Summary

This GCSE history revision video delves into medieval England's medical practices, highlighting the Church's significant influence on medicine due to its control over education, communication, and healthcare. The video explores key concepts such as the belief in divine punishment for disease, the four humors theory, and the emerging idea of miasma. It also discusses various treatments and preventative measures, including religious approaches, astrological influences on medical decisions, and the role of different medical practitioners. The Black Death serves as a case study, illustrating how it led to new ideas and preventions, despite the lack of significant change in medical thought during this period.

Takeaways

• 🏰 The Church was the most powerful institution in medieval England, controlling education, communication, and attitudes towards medicine.
• 📚 There was a lack of change in medical ideas due to the Church's promotion of traditional and ancient teachings, such as those of Hippocrates and Galen.
• 🗣️ The Church's resistance to new ideas was furthered by the absence of a printing press until 1440 AD, which limited the dissemination of knowledge.
• ⚖️ The government had little power over public health, with no duty from kings to improve health and local governments having limited influence.
• 🙏 The belief that disease was a punishment from God or a test of faith was prevalent, with religious practices like prayer and pilgrimage being common treatments.
• 🔮 Astrology played a role in medicine, with physicians considering the position of the stars and planets to diagnose and treat patients.
• 🩸 The four humors theory, which posited that an imbalance of bodily fluids (blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile) caused illness, influenced medical treatments.
• 🛁 The miasma theory, which suggested that bad air and smells from rotting matter could cause disease, influenced both treatment and prevention methods.
• 🏥 Hospitals were run by the Church and provided more in the way of hospitality than actual medical care, with treatment often involving prayer and rest.
• ⚰️ The Black Death led to new ideas about disease prevention, such as quarantine and avoiding bathing, although these were not always effective.

Q & A

What was the primary reason for the lack of change in medical ideas during medieval times?

The primary reason was the powerful influence of the church, which controlled education, communication, and encouraged adherence to traditional ideas and ancient works by Hippocrates and Galen.

How did the church's control over education impact the training of doctors in medieval England?

The church funded universities and controlled the training of doctors, encouraging them to learn through books rather than practical experiments, which limited dissection and the opportunity to discover or test new ideas.

What was the significance of the belief in God and sin in medieval medicine?

The belief that disease was a punishment from God or a test of faith influenced both the treatment and prevention of diseases, with religious practices like prayer, pilgrimage, and the king's touch being considered therapeutic.

How did the church's resistance to astrology initially influence its acceptance in medieval medicine?

Initially, the church resisted astrology because it seemed like fortune-telling, contradicting the Bible. However, after the Black Death and with support from Hippocrates' writings, the church began to accept and encourage it.

What was the four humors theory and how did it affect treatment in medieval England?

The four humors theory posited that the body contained four liquids (blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile), and imbalances in these humors could cause disease. Treatments aimed to restore balance, such as bloodletting, purging, or using the treatment of opposites.

How did the miasma theory influence public health and personal hygiene during the medieval period?

The miasma theory, which suggested that bad air and smells from rotting matter could cause disease, led to an emphasis on personal hygiene and cleanliness. It also influenced public health efforts, although attempts to clean streets were sometimes misguided.

What were the different types of healers and their roles in medieval England?

Healers included physicians, who were university-educated and diagnosed diseases; apothecaries, who mixed remedies and were more affordable; barber-surgeons, who performed basic surgeries; and skilled surgeons, who were expensive and could set limbs. Hospitals provided care through prayer and rest rather than medical treatment.

How did the Black Death lead to new ideas and preventions in medieval England?

The Black Death led to new ideas such as linking the disease to volcanic eruptions and the realization that it was spread by contact with the sick. New preventions included flagellation, carrying posies and pomanders to ward off bad smells, and attempts at quarantine, although these were not very effective.

What was the role of the government in public health during the medieval period?

The government did not have a significant role in public health during the medieval period. Kings had no duty to improve health, and local governments had little power to take action to improve public health.

How did the church's control over communication affect the spread of medical knowledge during the medieval period?

The church's control over communication, including the production of books, ensured that ideas which did not fit into church teachings were not reproduced, thus limiting the spread of new medical knowledge and reinforcing traditional beliefs.