How effective were responses to the
problems of Public Health?
What role did the Church play in tackling
the problems of Medieval Public Health?
What were the problems of Medieval
PH?
What were the
common problems of
Public Health in
Medieval Britain?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/shp/middleages/medievalpublichealth_video.shtml
What were the common
problems of Public Health in
Medieval Britain?
What did they do about them?
• Medieval people knew the connection between clean living and
good health. Occasionally, they even took a bath.
• Unlike the Romans, Medieval towns didn't have sewers or water
pipes. People threw rubbish and human waste into the streets.
• Monasteries developed systems of public health, including fresh
running water, wash rooms and sewers.
• People realised that a room next to a privy (toilet) was unhealthy,
and towns paid 'gongfermers' to clear out the cess pits.
• During the plague many towns developed quarantine laws, and a
few opened Plague Houses – separate hospitals for Plague victims.
• The first hospitals since Roman times were built, such as St Bart's, in
London, in 1123.
How effective were responses to the
problems of Public Health?
What role did the Church play in tackling
the problems of Medieval Public Health?
What were the problems of Medieval
PH?
Prestructural: The point or concept has not been understood. The
student may have a number of unconnected ideas but cannot
distinguish relevance.
Unistructural: One relevant idea is explained. Can separate relevant
from non-relevant ideas. May be a couple of simple and obvious
connections but their significance isn’t grasped.
Multistructural: Several relevant ideas on the topic. Several
connections may be made but their significance to the whole isn’t
grasped.
Relational: Understands and explains complex relationships related
to the idea or concept. Understands relationship of parts to the
whole.
Extended Abstract: Shows profound understanding. Transfer takes place.
Makes new connections. Can apply to wider contexts and new applications.
From Risse, an American Historian of
Medicine at SF University.
• “From the start, providing hospitality and healing the sick became
key responsibilities of European monasteries, ….Many were rural
peasants, legally free, possibly even owners of small plots who had
suffered hard times. As early as Merovingian times [roughly mid-5th
to mid-8th century], local bishops had been charged with assigning
one-fourth of their revenues for the needs of the poor, whose
names were kept on special lists, a third in rural parishes. Many
were fed, clothed and sheltered in the poorhouse or mansion
pauperum adjoining the church. Another frequent recipient of
Christian charity was the stranger, a rather broad category that
included jobless wanderers or drifters as well as errant knights,
devout pilgrims, traveling scholars, and merchants. . . .” (94)
Read your sheet carefully. Identify the important features. Write
them around the centre.
TASK
• What role did the Church play in
tackling the problems of Medieval
Public Health?
Write a paragraph explaining the things that Monasteries
did to reduce the problems of Public Health.
Religious institutions such as
monasteries and convents often
did caring work for the sick. An
example of this can be seen at
Fountains Abbey. Look at the
diagram on page 76.
1) List the factors at the abbey
which would help promote a
health life style.
2) Using source A and B identify
as many links between
religion and medicine as
possible.
3) Using page 76-79 design a
leaflet that informs people
about Medieval Public Health.
Include: Church, monasteries,
Problems in towns, solutions
How effective were responses to the
problems of Public Health?
What role did the Church play in tackling
the problems of Medieval Public Health?
What were the problems of Medieval
PH?
CONCEPT MAPS
These Concept maps have been developed to help
you with your revision.
The idea is that first – you add ways in which
Monasteries dealt with PH problems.
Second, draw arrows between connected words and
write on that line how the two things are connected
Improved grade
Knowing more in the exam
Gets you more marks!
timetable
Plenty of rest
Revising hard
What role did the Church play in
tackling the problems of Medieval
Public Health?
How effective were responses to the problems
Pick a statement and defend
it.
of Public
Health?
It's true because...
• Medieval PH is more effective then our 21st PH providing
free care.
• The problems of med PH are different, but as difficult to
solve as 21st C problems.
• The Government has Replaced the role of the Church in
dealing with PH; the Government in the 21st C has been
more successful.
Mention at least two of: change/ continuity/ effective / diet /
nutrition/ prevention / challenge / solutions