Medieval Medicine
By
Cathy, Beau, and Rylee
Famous Physicians
Hippocrates
Galen
Hippocrates
• Greek physician born in 460 B.C.
• Founder of modern medicine and became
regarded as the greatest physician of his
time.
• Believed illness had a rational and
physical explanation.
• First to describe disease symptoms and
diagnose patients
Galen
• Ancient Greek physician
• Court physician of
Emperor Marcus Aurelius
• Proponent of bloodletting
• Had such an impact on
medicine that many of his
theories were not
reviewed until the 16th
century.
• Liked to dissect pigs
Medical Records
• The Saxon Leech Book of Bald was
written around 950 by a nobleman named
Bald. It contained the uses of over 500
herbs.
• Mostly, the herbs were used as amulets to
ward off evil spirits, but the book did
compile knowledge from Anglo-Saxon,
Celtic, Greco-Roman and Arab cultures.
Medical Records
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Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)
Abbess of a Benedictine convent
Author of Hildegard’s Medicine.
The book combined folk medicine and the
Catholic faith.
• It is the only known account of “wise
women” medicinal practices.
Humors
• “Humors” are
synonymous with body
fluids.
• Natural bodily functions
were believed to release
the excess humor and
restore the patient to
health.
• Treatments varied from
administering laxatives
and diuretics to herbs and
hot baths.
Humors
• Idea of humors came
from Hellenistic
theory popularized by
Hippocrates
• All things in nature
are composed of 4
elements: wind,
water, earth, fire
Air (Blood)
• Sanguine
• Courageous, Amorous
• Humor described as
hot and wet;
corresponds with
spring
Earth (Black Bile)
• Melancholic
• Depressed, Sleepless
• Humor described as
cold and dry;
corresponds with
autumn
Fire (Yellow Bile)
• Choleric
• Short tempered
• Humor described as
hot and dry;
corresponds with
summer
Water (Phlegm)
• Phlegmatic
• Calm and
Unemotional
• Humor is described
as cold and wet;
corresponds with
winter
Humors
• Certain diseases/symptoms/disorders
were associated with an imbalance of a
certain humor.
• Various methods were used to treat the
patient to put their humors in balance once
again.
– Bloodletting and Purging
– Foods and Herbs
– Trepanation
Humors
• Sir Bob of the Faust Folk has a fever and is
sweating profusely.
• Sir Bob is correspondingly considered hot and
wet. He is therefore considered to have a
blood humor imbalance.
– Recall that the blood humor is associated with hot
and wet.
• Along with physically reducing the humor
through bloodletting and trepanation, Sir Bob is
given certain foods and herbs that are
associated with cold and dry.
Common Medical Practices
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Bloodletting
Leeches
Uroscopy
Herbs
Potions
Amputation
Trepanation
Exile
Bloodletting
• One of the oldest
medical practices
• Two key concepts
– No circulation
(created/used/stagnant)
– Humoral balance =
illness or health
Bloodletting
• Amount of blood removed based on age,
season, weather, and place
• Common treatment for fever,
hypertension, and headache
• Later barbers were assigned
to the task of bloodletting
Leeches
• Leeches were used in
conjunction with Galen’s
Humor theory.
• They were believed to
release the “bad blood”
from the patient.
• Leech medicinal value
has recently been
revisited by
reconstructive surgeons.
Uroscopy
• Examination of
blood, puss, or urine
• Used sight, smell,
and taste
• Change in urine
appearance =
disease
• 20 different colors
Uroscopy
• Observed the quantity, clarity, deposits,
and density of the urine, and frequency of
urination
• Flash to the future: doctors tasted urine to
detect glucose. Indication in diabetes
Herbs
• Used worldwide
• Plants and plant
derivatives used to
treat a wide range of
ailments
• Many modern
medicines derived
from plants
– Insulin = dahlia root
– Morphine = poppy
Herbs
• Examples of common old remedies
– Chives = treat chest illnesses
– Lemon balm = colds
– Basil = scorpion bites and stomach trouble
– Cabbage = diarrhea, eye disease, kidney
problems
– Hemlock = pain killer
– Oregano = cramps
Flower Power
• Physicians of the Middle Ages also believed in a
concept that came to be known as the Doctrine
of Signatures.
• Doctors believed that the color of flowers
correlated with their usefulness in treating
diseases.
• Plants that had yellow flowers, such as a
dandelion, were linked to yellow bile. Yellow
flowering plants would often be prescribed to
treat jaundice.
Potions
• Reserved for
peasants.
• Risky business
because of witch
accusations.
Overtime, they were
given a Christian
flavor.
• Usually had no
medicinal value, only
superstition.
Amputation
• Doctors had the ability to
perform minor surgeries
through the instruction of
Galen and Islamic
physicians.
• Realized that infection
and pain were the most
common cause of death,
not the medical
procedures.
Trepanation
• Holes drilled in skull
to release pressure,
expose brain tissue,
and/ or let out
demons
• One of the oldest
surgical techniques
• Claimed to cure
seizures, migraines,
and mental disorders
Exile
• When all else fails…
send ‘em packin’!
• The diseased may
have been possessed
or just unsightly,
hence they were
forced to leave town
for fear of spreading
the disease to others.
Common Medieval Diseases and
Ailments
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Leprosy
Dysentery
Ergotism
Gonorrhea (lets do the CLAP)
Influenza
Malaria
Measles
Smallpox
Puerperal fever
Typhoid fever
DA plague
Leprosy
• Leprosy was a common disease in the
Middle Ages.
• It was thought to have been brought to
Europe through the Crusades.
• They were forced to wear green capes or
beaver skin hats so they could be
recognized easily.
Dartford
• Leper Hospital location
• Know as the Lazar House after Lazarus,
the patron saint of lepers.
• People with eczema, psoriasis, and
smallpox were also confined segregated
from the majority.
• Most were not contagious.
An Extra Piece of Info…
• Dartford Hospital was supported mostly
from donations.
• The patrons were granted indulgences for
their support.
• Hmmm.
Dysentery
• Caused by contaminated
food and water
(bacteria/fecal matter)
• Resulted in bloody,
watery stool, dehydration,
cramps and fever
• Present mainly in urban
areas and in the military
• Cause many infant
deaths
Ergotism
• aka saint’s or devil’s “fire”
• Caused by fungal infection of grain (mainly
rye)
• Neuropathy, burning sensation,
convulsions, red blisters to black itching
burning sensation then necrosis
• Almost half died, living left with some
symptoms
Ergotism
• Affected mainly
countryside
• Children more
vulnerable
Gonorrhea
• Bacterial sexually
transmitted disease
• Male: burning sensation,
fever, pus-like secretions
from urethra
• Female: inflammation of
urethra, may lead to
infection of upper urinary
tract
• Can lead to infertility in
both sexes
Influenza
• aka the FLU
• Very contagious
infection of the upper
respiratory tract
• Symptoms include
fever, achy body,
chills, body weakness
• Usually occurred
during winter and
spring
Malaria
• aka “the ague”
• Parasite spread by
the mosquito
• Symptoms include
chills fever headache
– Reoccur every few
days
• Rarely caused death
Measles
• Extremely contagious
virus
• Cold-like symptoms
and swollen sensitive
eyes
– Red rash (raised red
bumps)
• May lead to blindness
• Usually occurred in
childhood
Smallpox
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aka “the red plague”
30% death rate
Possibly responsible for some of the
major plagues throughout history:
– Plague of Athens (430 BC)
– Antonine Plague of Roman
Empire (Italy 165-180 AD)
– Plague of Cyprian in Roman
Empire (251-266 AD)
– Plague in India (400 AD)
– Various Outbreaks in Europe
starting 581 AD
Symptoms include:
– High fever (101-104 F)
– Vomiting
– Body Aches
– Rash and raised pustules on
tongue, mouth, throat, and body.
Peurperal fever
• Bacterial infection of female reproductive organs
after childbirth
• Severity depends on the bacteria that causes
the infection. Tetanus and gas gangrene are
among the worst.
• Symptoms
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Chills
High fever
Abdominal pain
Nausea
Typhoid Fever
• Bacteria infection spread
through feces
• 10-20% Mortality Rate
• Symptoms
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Diarrhea
Fever (105 F)
Blinding Headache
Cough
Exhaustion
Patches of red on
abdomen
– Even intestinal hemorrhage
and coma
PLAGUE
• Bacterial infection transmitted
by flea bites.
• 50%-70% mortality rate
• Pandemic in Europe 1347-51
AD. Random plague
outbreaks through 1430s.
• Symptoms
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Necrosis around flea bit
Fever
Headache
Delerium
Swelling of lymph nodes,
especially around armpit and
groin (sometimes as large as
oranges…very painful!)
Sources
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http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/morhealt.html
http://www.schoolshistory.org.uk/medievalsurgery.htm
http://www.medieval-life.net/diseases.htm
http://www.strangehorizons.com/2003/20030317/medicine.shtml
http://www.auanet.org/museum/content/about/resources/rugendorffmedstamps.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uroscopy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodletting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbalism
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/guide12/part06.html
http://www.quantal.demon.co.uk/saga/ooc/herbs.html
http://www.rotten.com/library/medicine/quackery/trepanation/
http://www.lumrix.net/medical/surgery/trepanation.html
http://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/medieval/people_lep.shtml
http://www.worldofskell.com/stuff/Medicine.htm
http://www.labelle.org/top_diseases.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_pox#Eurasia