Manuscript Culture Medical History

Hayley McGowanFebruary 14th 2013Literature 205

History of Medieval Medicine• Greek physicians Galen and Hippocrates are

responsible for the first ideas about medieval medicine• Based upon their ideas people were led to

believe that four bodily humours blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile were related to four elements earth, air, fire and water• Many believed that if they had a balanced

lifestyle of air, diet, exercise, sleep, evacuation and emotion then their health could be restored

Stars and Planets• Medieval astrologers believed that the movement of the stars

influenced nearly everything• Including weather, personalities of new born babies, growth of

crops and the health of the human body• When making a diagnosis with patients the doctor often

checked his almanac (or calendar) that consisted of the star charts that way he could check the alignment of the stars before detecting the diagnosis of the patient

• The almanacs contained illustrated pictures that helped the patients understand what was wrong with them

• Ancient studies of astrology were translated from Arabic to Latin in the 12th and 13th centuries

• This became apart of the every day medical practice in Europe• Near the end of the 1500s, physicians in Europe were required

by law to calculate the position of the moon before performing any complicated medical procedures, such as surgery or bleeding

This picture shows a 'zodiac man' from one of these almanacs from 1399The diagram explains how the astrological formations rule over each part of the body. The man's pointing finger serves as a warning against the power the stars hold

Diagnosis• Most common way to

diagnosis patients was threw urine, blood or stools

• When studying the urine doctors would often hold it up to the light and put the urine in different colours

• The colours served as charts which helped the doctors determine what the patient was ill with

An example of the urine in different hues so that way the physician can examine before making diagnosis

Wounds and Surgery • In this time period it was a major concern when it

came to healing wounds, ruptures and lesions• The procedure of fixing cracked skulls was

common during the time period• We do not know the success rate of this procedure

but it was not always fatal after severe head wounds

• John Arderne (died c.1377) was an English surgeon• composed medical works on topics such as the

treatment of eyes and the cure of anal fistula, both of which circulated widely

• Arderne's is known for his medical works during the Medieval time period

This illustration below shows a procedure for a skull fracture being performed

Access to Medical Care•Medical care was rare to the people•The wealthy and people in monasteries had priority to medical care•Most people depended on folk traditions or the advice from people who have experienced their illness

Occult Healing• Occult healing is the dividing line between

magic and medicine • This was an option to many who were sick• When medical practitioners couldn’t figure

out what was wrong with the patient they turned to occult healing• Used occult knowledge to heal the sick either

by natural means (herbs to treat or prevent illness or ward off danger) • If that failed they used demonic magic, which

attempted to use diabolical forces to intervene with human affairs

Medicine and the Church• In medieval Europe, medicine normally functioned within

the setting of the Christian church• Hospitals were intended for the elderly and ill• Hospitals were often run by religious orders• Which could maintain infirmaries for their own members

and operate hospitals for others• When professional medicine failed they often turned to the

Saints• Many times they would visit the Saints’ shrines in hope of

miracles• The windows of the Trinity Chapel in Canterbury Cathedral,

completed c.1220, show pilgrims suffering from illness, injury and even insanity flocking to Becket's shrine; in some scenes, physicians with urine flasks turn away in despair, unable to equal the healing power of the saint

Present Day•As you can see medical advances have been made since the Medieval time•We no longer depend on the stars or urine to diagnosis illnesses• Technology has led us to succeed in advancing in the medical field• The Medieval medical preferences serve as the starting point of medical history

Works Cited• Shelfmark, Harley. "Medicine." British

Library. N.p., n.d. Web.• "History of Medicine." U.S. National

Library of Medicine. N.p., 22 Apr. 2004. Web.