From Gaza to Ukraine, detention is a hidden weapon of war
Celestial bodies were associated with parts of the body (e.g. the sun was associated with the heart). Zodiac signs also influenced the diagnosis, depending where the moon was when symptoms appeared.
Islamic polymath Ibn al-Nafis is known for describing the circulation of blood in the human body, through the heart and lungs, contradicting Galen’s theory that blood flowed from the liver.
Mental illness was thought of as a manifestation of evil, so it would be treated as such, with the likes of prayers and exorcisms.
Dentatores, as medieval dentists were called back then, would resort to the extraction of teeth. Again, the Arab world shed new light in the treatment of cavities, where the procedure was to file the decay and fill the tooth.
Sources: (History Collection) (Medical News Today) (Wired)
See also: What was the average diet like in medieval Europe?
During the Crusades, soldiers and pilgrims brought a lot of medical knowledge to Europe from the Muslim world.
Like wounds, burns were also pretty common in the Middle Ages. Doctors would often apply ointments and salves to keep the skin moist. These were often made with vinegar, herbal oils, rose oil, eggs, and opium.
Many injured and infected limbs ended up being amputated. These would be performed as quickly as possible to minimize blood loss. For broken limbs, casts were often made using a mixture of eggs and flour. They’d be hard enough to keep the limb in place, but not strong enough to bear the person’s weight.
Examinations would usually involve measuring the pulse, checking body temperature for signs of fever, and examination of the patient’s urine, for color, smell…and taste.
Wealthy people, that is. Doctors would be called in when someone was sick or injured. There was no such thing as preventative medicine.
Persian physician Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi not only was the first to write about the subject of immunology, but he is also credited with developing the discipline of pediatrics, with his book ‘The Diseases of Children.’ He was also the first physician to recognize fever as a defense mechanism in the presence of infection.
Islamic physician and philosopher Abu al-Husayn ibn Sina, who became known in Europe as Avicenna, is the author of the Canon of Medicine. The text contains information on the preparation and testing of medicines. He advocated purity of ingredients and what later became known as clinical trials.
Physicians were at the top of the ladder, followed by surgeons, barber surgeons, barbers, and apothecaries (who would make and dispense medicines). Midwives were not considered to be medical practitioners, and there were no nurses back then.
Christians followed the herbalism text Doctrine of Signatures to make their medicines. It was believed that plants had clues as to what they could treat. E.g. the porous leaves of St. John’s Wort was good for rashes.
Superstitions ruled in medieval times, with many maladies being attributed to the Devil or as a punishment from God. A bizarre condition Anglo-Saxon doctors came across was known as elf-shot.
Galen believed the heart was red because the soul, which was the source of all emotion, resided in it. Galen’s theory evolved to believe the soul was divided into three parts: the rational, which resided in the brain; the spiritual, which resided in the heart; and the soul that controlled bodily functions, which resided in the liver.
This happened when victims were supposedly shot with invisible arrows by invisible elves. Symptoms such as headaches and joint pain were often attributed to elf-shot. The application of feverfew leaf paste (because the leaves are arrow-shaped) was often a proposed cure. As for prevention, a visible charm was recommended to deter the elves.
By then, isolation and quarantines were common practice, with people suffering from certain diseases (e.g. leprosy) being isolated from the general community.
Monasteries and abbeys would welcome sick people from all walks of life. The practice derived from ancient Greek and Roman clinics.
Second-century Greek surgeon and philosopher Galen heavily influenced medicinal practice in medieval times. However, because dissection of humans was not allowed, all of his knowledge and theories about human anatomy were based on animals.
Monasteries became centers of study and knowledge, where medicinal plants were grown and liquors were brewed. Caring for the sick was an essential part of Christian charity.
Frenchman Guy de Chauliac wrote one of the most important texts on the practice of surgery. His view was surprisingly holistic, and he advocated for surgery to be a last resort, with food, hydration and drugs being a priority in the treatment protocol.
Pagan and folk remedies, mostly based on medicinal plants, were common across Europe. Christianity went on to absorb many of these practices when it spread across the continent.
The four humors also reflected natural elements —fire, water, earth, and air—as well as the four seasons. The role of medicine was essentially to balance these humors, as an imbalance would cause disease. In medieval times, this belief was still present.
Greek physician Hippocrates is known for being the forefather of medicine. His basic theory was that there were four humors in the human body: black bile, yellow bile, blood, and phlegm. And each humor had different qualities, namely: hot, cold, wet, and dry.
Galen was also an accomplished surgeon and most medieval surgeons used his surviving texts as guides. Surgery didn’t begin to be taught formally until the 12th century, however.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, the University of Padua evolved its training to include dissections of cadavers and autopsies. Most texts were written in Latin, meaning that students were literate in the language.
Today, it might surprise us to learn that these medically-trained surgeons were pretty low in the medical profession hierarchy. Nonetheless, they were still above barber surgeons, who did simpler tasks such as stitching up wounds and bloodletting.
Licenses to practice medicine emerged in medieval times. Most medical schools (which took five years to complete) only accepted students with a previous master of arts degree, and with good knowledge of Latin and Greek.
Vinegar or brine were commonly used to clean up wounds. Those who were wealthy might have had access to myrrh instead. Yarrow was also used to treat wounds, but in the end, without proper sanitation and antibiotics, many would end up infected, leading to severe consequences such as gangrene and even death.
Later, a procedure that involved drilling a hole in the skull, known as trepanning, would also be performed by surgeons to treat diseases of the brain. Other barbaric methods were also developed and used.
It's a tragic truth that the history of medicine is tainted with errors and a lack of knowledge about human physiology and pathology. But humans being humans, we evolved through trial and error, and now have come a long way in the field of medicine. Indeed, the Middle Ages were a crucial period when it comes to the evolution of medicine and health care practices. This was when the first medical schools were created, and when ancient beliefs were challenged.
If you've ever wondered how medical care worked back in medieval times, then you're in for a treat! Click through and find out all about it.
Surgeons could stitch up wounds, but, for instance, performing surgery to remove an arrowhead would not be allowed.
The disturbing reality of going to the doctor during the Middle Ages
The evolution of medicine in medieval Europe
LIFESTYLE Medieval
It's a tragic truth that the history of medicine is tainted with errors and a lack of knowledge about human physiology and pathology. But humans being humans, we evolved through trial and error, and now have come a long way in the field of medicine. Indeed, the Middle Ages were a crucial period when it comes to the evolution of medicine and health care practices. This was when the first medical schools were created, and when ancient beliefs were challenged.
If you've ever wondered how medical care worked back in medieval times, then you're in for a treat! Click through and find out all about it.