Who was responsible for treating the sick in the Middle Ages?

Who was responsible for treating the sick in the Middle Ages?

1. The Trained Physician

   • Had training at medical school and passed exams
   • Will diagnose you using your urine+astrological info
   • Administers treatment based on Galen
     • Likely to be bloodletting/purging/herbal medicine
   • Can be expensive
     • But has medical knowledge and believes his treatment to be superior to that of apothecaries/barber surgeons
   • Will be male - woman physicians were incredibly rare

2. The apothecary

   • Is trained but has no medical qualifications
   • Mixes various ingredients to produce medicines/ointments for physician
   • May make you up their own mixture for a price
   • Is cheaper than having to consult with physician and then pay apothecary for same medicine anyway
   • Is probably male

3. Barber-Surgeon

   • Practices lots of blood-letting, can pull out rotten teeth + lance boils
   • Can have a go at basic surgery
     • e.g. cutting out bladder stones / amputating limbs
   • Uses no anaesthetics
     • Very low success rate for surgery
   • Not trained
     • Not respected by trained physicians
   • Can cut your hair

4. Hospital

   • Usually part of monastery/convent
     • Christian values- caring for others
   • Sick people usually cared for at home
   • Hospitals looked after the old or those with specific illnesses such as leprosy
   • After Reformation in 16th century
     • Free hospitals set up in towns
       • Funded by charity

5. Housewife-physician

   • Knew traditional remedies for things
     • Such as sore throats/stomach aches/temperature
   • Would be able to deal with broken bones + Childbirth
   • May have had a reputation as a local 'wise woman'
   • Used remedies based on ...
     • herbs
     • Other plants
     • Charms/spells
   • Could be lady of the manor
     • would treat her families/servants living on manor land

6. Prayer/Pilgrimage

   • Many people would go on pilgrimage to a holy shrine
     • In hope that they could be cured of an illness