medicine- roman Britain to c1350

Roman causes of disease
1. supernatural
  1. the gods, a curse, planets
2. miasma
  1. bad air in swampy and dirty places
3. imbalance of the four humours
  1. theory originated from Hippocrates
    1. believed in clinical OBSERVATION
      1. study symptoms
        watch for change
        treat illness
        take careful notes of progress of disease
    2. Hippocrates Oath
  2. yellow bile
  3. black bile
  4. blood
  5. phelgm
Roman treatment of disease
1. making offerings to salus (the God of health)
2. pray
3. herbal cures
4. the theory of opposites
  1. originated from Galen
    1. developments made by Galen
      1. dissection
        most famous dissection was performed on a pig, he proved that: the brain and nerves controlled speech, not the heart and that arteries allowed blood to flow around the body
        expanded the Romans understanding of human anatomy and physiology
        forbidden to dissect on human bodies in the Roman Empire- Galen had to rely on dissections of animals
      2. writings
        published books which included what he had learnt in Alexandria and Rome
        significant because these were the basis for medical teaching and learning for the next 1500 years
        PROBLEM: people didn't challenge Galen so new ideas weren't developed
  2. fever= cucumber
  3. blood letting
  4. purging
  5. significant because this it encouraged doctors to focus on RATIONAL explanations of illness
5. named cities after godesses because it was thought to bless them
Roman public health
1. avoided swampy places (miasma)
  1. built their cities on dry plain
2. clean water
  1. skilled engineers built aqueducts to bring in clean water
    1. prevented spread of waterborne diseases
3. drains and sewers
  1. took dirty and contaminated water from latrines and homes
4. latrines
  1. communal toilets
  2. waste was sometimes disposed on the streets which spread disease
5. public baths
  1. helped develop hygiene and cleanliness
  2. beneficial for breathing problems and skin conditions
6. exercise
middle ages: 500AD-1500AD
1. the wars meant that many of the developments made by the Romans were lost
2. after the Roman Empire collapsed, public health regressed
3. communication was dangerous so any new ideas couldn't be spread
4. YORK
  1. anglo saxons 400AD-800AD
    1. high infant mortality
    2. women died during childbirth
    3. short life expectancy (30-40)
    4. joint disease
  2. vikings
    1. towns were very condensed
    2. animals roamed freely
    3. rubbish and dung on streets
    4. drinking water was next to cesspits
  3. normans- later middle ages
    1. stone houses
    2. improved harvests= better diet
    3. cesspits lined and emptied
5. main public health problems
  1. no means of removing sewage
    1. remained in open drains, cesspits and the street
  2. lack of clean water
    1. latrines were built directly over rivers where people got their water
  3. vermin on streets
    1. remains of butchered animals attracted rats and mice
middle ages treatment of disease STAGNATED
1. developed through trial and error
2. Galen's theory of opposites
3. public baths fell to ruin
4. supernatural
  1. gods
  2. charms
  3. astrologists consulted for best time for operation
  4. who was responsible for treatment?
5. herbal remedies
  1. written in leech books
middle ages;: training of doctors
1. trained in blood letting
2. women could not be doctors
3. church oversaw training
  1. helped
    1. preserved medical books and works of Galen in Chruches & monasteries
      1. used trusted methods
    2. set up universities where doctors could be trained
      1. doctors could not practice until fully trained
      2. doctors work was accurate and reliable
    3. monasteries and cathedrals had fresh water supplies and sewage was piped away
    4. monasteries & convents cared for the ill and monks and nuns ran hospitals
  2. hindered
    1. dissection was banned by the church
    2. god and the devil were often seen as the cause of illnesses and diseases
    3. people would pray, make wake offerings and go on pilgrimages in the hope that God would cure them
    4. thought that the King had religious powers- the Kings touch could cure
    5. was the only international organisation that could preserve & transmit knowledge
    6. new, original ideas about medicine were labelled 'heresy'- heretics were imprisoned or even worse
      1. church prevented and discouraged innovative ideas so new medicine and treatment weren't discovered
4. based treatment on astrology
5. check urine against urine chart
6. trained at medieval schools
middle ages: government attempts to improve health in towns
1. 1281- attempted to stop pigs being allowed on London streets
2. 1347- Sanitary act tried to keep streets cleaner
3. 1388- parliament statute complaints
middle ages; Christian ran hospitals
1. small hospitals- 12 inmates to reflect 12 disciples
2. beds positioned toward alter and religious statues to help them focus of religion and be healed
3. more priests appointed than doctors as they thought patients needed spiritual rather than medical treatment
4. monks and nuns aimed to CARE NOT CURE
5. patients were fed well
6. laid out spaciously
7. illness was seen as a punishment for your sins
8. over 1000 hospitals were established in England and Wales

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medicine- roman Britain to c1350

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	Created by annajt about 11 years ago