Medieval Medicine

ByCathy, Beau, and Rylee

Famous Famous PhysiciansPhysicians

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

GalenGalen• 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• 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

• 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

LeechesLeeches• 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.

PotionsPotions• 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

• 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• 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– Chills– High fever– Abdominal pain– Nausea

Typhoid Fever

• Bacteria infection spread through feces

• 10-20% Mortality Rate• Symptoms

– 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– Necrosis around flea bit– Fever– Headache– Delerium– Swelling of lymph nodes,

especially around armpit and groin (sometimes as large as oranges…very painful!)

Sources• 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