Medicine in the Middle Ages
AD 500–1400
The History of Medicine
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The fall of the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire grew until it could no
longer control its borders successfully.
Barbarian tribes overran the western parts of
the empire, and by AD 500 Europe consisted of
many small, feuding tribal kingdoms. These
kingdoms were often at war with each other.
What effects do you think these wars had on the
benefits that the Roman Empire had brought?
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The wars meant that many of the Roman developments
were lost.
Roman buildings,
public health
systems,
libraries and
medical books
were destroyed.
It was now dangerous to travel, so communications were
limited, and there were far fewer opportunities for doctors
to learn or train.
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war
communications
education
Can you explain how the factors of war,
communications and education might have affected
the progress of medicine at this time?
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Britain in the Dark Ages
After the Romans left Britain in AD 410, society went back
to its pre-Roman, uncultured ways. The next 500 years
were known as the Dark Ages.
During this time Britain experienced
many invasions by different
peoples, including the Saxons and
Vikings. Some invaders took what
they wanted and destroyed things
they didn’t; many settled in Britain.
What medical progress or regress would you expect
to have seen at this time?
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Norman Britain
In 1066 the Normans invaded Britain. This period, the
Middle Ages, brought some improvements to public
health, travel became safer and trade increased.
For the wealthy in society, such as lords
and barons, living standards improved with
stone-built castles and manor houses.
For the majority, the peasants, however,
home was usually a small house
consisting of one room for the whole
family. Inside it was dark, smoke-filled and
damp. Peasants worked from dawn till
dusk, usually in the fields, in all weathers.
What effect do you think living conditions had
on the health of the rich and the poor?
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Religion and medicine in the Middle Ages
After the Norman conquest
the church also became
wealthier and stronger all
over Europe.
The medieval church was a
very powerful force during
this time, and had a huge
impact on the development
of medicine.
On the next slide you will learn about the main ways
religion affected medicine during this period. Decide
whether the church helped or hindered medical
development in each case.
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The church and medicine
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How were people treated for illnesses?
Do you think that all these types of treatments
were available to all types of people?
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Supernatural or natural?
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How effective was herbal medicine?
Many ordinary people were treated at home by their
wife or mother. Doctors were very expensive, and
herbal remedies handed down from mother to
daughter were probably as effective as any treatment.
Herbs have been used in healthcare throughout
the history of medicine. As communications
improved, new plants were discovered, and the
range of herbal remedies expanded. In the
Middle Ages, herbal remedies continued to be
used and gradually became more effective.
For herbs to have been used for so long, it is likely that
they had some positive effects. We now know that about
50% of ancient herbal cures were effective, although
those using them would not have understood why.
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Herbal remedies – effective or not?
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Medical progress in the Middle Ages
Although it may seem as if there was little medical
progress during this period of history, there were some
important developments.
Hospitals provided a place where
the sick could be cared for.
Urine was
analysed for
the first time,
an aid to
diagnosis still
used by
doctors today.
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Medical
developments
Wine was used as an
antiseptic and drugs
were used to numb pain
in surgery.
The
establishment
of schools for
doctors
improved the
quality of
medical care.
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The Black Death
In 1348–49 Britain faced the worst crisis in its history. A
deadly disease, originating in Asia, arrived from Europe.
This disease was the bubonic
plague. The symptoms were a
fever, headache, tiredness and
painful swellings (buboes) the size
of apples in the groin and armpits.
Small, oozing red and black spots
appeared all over the body, giving
the disease the name the Black
Death. Many patients only lasted a
few days before a painful death.
Nearly 40% of the English population died.
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What was believed to cause the Black Death?
It was not until 1894 that it was
discovered that the bubonic plague
was caused by germs, carried by the
fleas which live on black rats.
Back in 1349 people had very different ideas about the
cause of the disease.
Look at the list of the causes people believed in on the
next slide.
Which beliefs have we seen already in prehistoric
medicine?
Which beliefs are new?
Why do you think no one suspected the fleas?
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Breathing bad air (miasma) –
medieval towns were very
smelly and the smell was
supposed to contain diseases.
Touching a
victim.
The position of the
planets – the
relationship of the
planets and the
movement of the
Sun affected health.
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Annoying God –
the plague was
his punishment.
What did
people
believe
caused the
Black Death?
An imbalance of
the body’s four
humours –
Galen can’t be
wrong!
Looking at a victim
– the disease was
spread by eye
contact.
Drinking from
poisoned wells –
Germans believed
the Jews were
poisoning drinking
water to kill off nonJews.
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How did people try to prevent or cure the Plague?
On the next slide you will see some of the treatments
people at the time tried to prevent or cure the Plague.
What do the ideas on causes and treatments tell us
about medieval people's medical knowledge?
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Strap a live
chicken
(shaved) to the
Plague sore.
Sit in a sewer –
the bad air of the
Plague will be
driven away by
the worse air of
the drains.
Let the blood out
of the patient.
Eat crushed emeralds.
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Eat arsenic
powder.
Run for
the hills.
How to
prevent the
Black Death
Put herbs on
the fire to
make the air
smell sweet.
Kill all the
dogs and
cats in town.
Drink 10-yearold treacle.
Go from
town to town
flogging
yourself with
a whip.
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The effect of Arab medicine on the West
The Dark Ages might have been a time of chaos for Europe,
but further east a new, Islamic civilization was developing
ancient Greek medical ideas.
The Arabs admired the
writings of Hippocrates and
Galen. Medical students
studied them carefully. New
discoveries were made,
some of which challenged
Galen’s ideas.
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The Muslims believed, however, that the Koran, their holy
book, held all the knowledge needed and did not encourage
the search for new discoveries. The Koran taught them to
look after the sick, and many large hospitals were built.
However, criticizing Galen was allowed, and so many new
discoveries were made in the Arabian empire, more than
were made in Europe at the time.
When Europeans went on crusades to
the Holy Land in the 12th and 13th
centuries, their doctors gained first-hand
knowledge of Arab medicine, which was
advanced by Western standards.
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