Monasteries controlled education. Priests and Monks were often
the only people who could read. Monasteries controlled what
people read. The only libraries were in monasteries. The Church
sometimes banned books they didn't want people reading.
Church taught that there were supernatural
explanations for everything. People believed God,
the Devil or the Planets controlled their lives. There
was less focus on rational/practical ideas about
disease thus incorrect treatments.
The Church were afraid new ideas
would challenge the Power of the
Church. Every new idea was
checked to make sure it didn't
contradict Galen, or the church.
Taught to not have ideas.
Built hospitals for people to get better, for the poor and the
rich alike. Nuns and Monks ran the churches and took care of
the ill.
Preserved Ancient Books of Galen and
Hippocrates, translated them and taught
them in Medical Schools.
monasteries made real effort to provide clean
water and effective toilets, had effective public
health systems
War
made doctors scared to travel
enabled ideas to spread with other countries, e.g. to obtain and translate
Roman/Greek books. Also many muslim ideas (Islam) came to western
Europe via. the North African Muslims who ruled Spain
gave surgeons opportunity to practise on the
wounded, could spread surgical/anatomical
knowledge with other countries
hindered Public Health as it meant the
Government spent money on War
instead of on Public Health
disrupted trade so countries became poorer
fall of the Roman Empire led to
destroyed Public Health systems, and
medical libraries - leading to a loss of
medical knowledge
Individual Genius
Galen's four humours theory is still in use,
still practised and is not correct (no new
ideas being put forward)
Ibn Nafis dared to disagree with Galen about how the blood flows
around the body (although he was incorrect) similarly other Individuals
began to challenge Galen
Ibn Sinna wrote a million word textbook covering all aspects of medicine.
Rhazes wrote the first accurate descriptions of Measles + Smallpox