Medieval medicine
Medicine in medieval times was heavily influenced by the ideas and writings of ancient Greek and Roman doctors, especially Hippocrates and Galen.
Watch an animated summary of medical progress through the medieval period.
Ancient ideas - the work of Hippocrates
A Greek doctor who lived around approximately 400BC. He is called the 'father of modern medicine' as he developed the theory of the four humours, and the idea of observing and recording illnesses and diseases. was a doctor who was born in Kos, Greece, in about 460BC. He is known as the 鈥榝ather of modern medicine鈥. He developed the An oath based on the early studies of Hippocrates that every new doctor must take. It outlines the expected ethical approach and obligations when treating a patient. a version of which is still used today. In this oath, doctors promise that they will do their best to treat their patients and keep information confidential.
Hippocrates also developed the idea of the Four bodily fluids 鈥 yellow bile, black bile, blood and phlegm 鈥 used in ancient times to analyse and describe people's state of health. This was the idea that the human body was made up of four substances: blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile. If the humours were out of balance, this was believed to cause illness. The humours were also thought to be linked to the seasons.
Hippocrates encouraged doctors to seek natural causes and cures of illness. He also developed the idea of clinical observation of the patient, rather than just of the illness.
The Hippocratic Corpus is a written collection of Hippocrates鈥 work. It allowed doctors in other countries to learn from his knowledge.
Ancient ideas - the work of Galen
A Roman doctor who lived from AD129 to approximately AD203. He revived Hippocrates' ideas and encouraged bloodletting as a treatment, after learning about anatomy from treating injured gladiators. was a Roman doctor who was born in AD129. He developed the Galen鈥檚 idea that illness could be treated by balancing the humours. For example, if someone had a cold, eating hot and spicy food would help to balance the humours. which concerned how people could be treated using the four humours.
Galen鈥檚 work on The science dealing with the structure of animals and plants. was based on information gained by dissecting animals such as pigs and monkeys. Through this work, he discovered that the brain controls speech. However, he also made mistakes. He believed that blood passed from one side of the heart to the other through tiny holes in the septum - the dividing wall between the left and right sides of the heart - when blood instead passes around the heart through veins and arteries. He also said that the human jaw bone is two separate bones, when it is actually one.
Natural and supernatural treatments
Medieval treatments used a combination of natural and supernatural methods. Supernatural treatments included:
- prayer
- The study and interpretation of celestial bodies, such as stars and planets - to predict the future or explain personal characteristics.
- A surgical operation which involves cutting a hole in the skull and removing a piece of bone.
Hippocrates and Galen encouraged doctors to seek natural treatments. For example:
- The process of bleeding a patient, either by using leeches or by cutting into a vein.
- In historical medicine, the act of getting rid of fluid from the body for the purpose of balancing the four humours. Patients might take substances to make them vomit or empty their bowels.
- herbal remedies
Treatments based on the four humours
Many treatments were based on the four humours, these treatments applied the 鈥榯heory of opposites鈥. Galen believed that if the humours were out of balance, doctors should intervene. For example, if someone has a cold, they have a runny nose, and Galen believed that this was the body鈥檚 way of getting rid of excess phlegm.
When doctors gave treatments, they were attempting to support what the body tried to do itself. For example, nosebleeds were seen as the body鈥檚 natural way of getting rid of excess blood. If it was thought that someone had too much blood, Galen believed in using a natural treatment such as bloodletting.
Medieval medicine, based on the four humours, encouraged doctors to observe symptoms closely; so they could apply what they thought was the most appropriate treatment. These ideas and treatments were used until the 19th century, when germ theory was developed in 1861 by Louis Pasteur and later expanded by Robert Koch.
Providers of treatment in medieval times
The building where monks live. provided care for people in their local area. Treatments were based on prayer and herbal remedies.
Local wise women also provided herbal remedies. They often used ideas that had been passed down through generations.
Wealthy people could afford a private A person who practises medicine. who had been trained at university. They usually practised the ideas of ancient doctors like Hippocrates and Galen.