The Middle Ages

Essential Information:

1. Romans left in 450 AD. Many new kingdoms were formed, small farming communities and lots of wars. As a result the old Roman system of public health fell into disuse.

2. Some town councils did try to improve public health, especially during the Black Death.

3. Monasteries were an exception, had good public health system.

4. Religion was highly important in the middle ages, belief in supernatural causes. Disease was a punishment from God, e.g.. flagellants.

5. Galen’s ideas were seen as important, the catholic church upheld his ideas, those who challenged his ideas were seen as heretical.

6. Hospitals were run by the church they concentrated on faith (saving ones soul) rather than health.

7. Dissection was not accepted, believed it would prevent someone from going to heaven.

8. Some natural remedies – tied in with four humours e.g.. blood letting.

9. Surgery in the middle ages was simple and external e.g.. removal of cateracts. Carried out by barber surgeons.

10. Islamic medicine made some developments, the Koran encouraged healing.

11. Many ancient texts were translated into Arabic.

12. Avicenna (Ibn Sina) wrote the Canon of Medicine – translated into Latin important in the training of Doctors.

13. Rhazes spotted the difference between smallpox and measles.

14. Some operations were carried out including the removal of bladder stones. However dissection was forbidden under Islamic law.

Revision questions:
1) Why did the Roman public health system collapse after the fall of the empire?
2) How did religious beliefs effect medicine in the middle ages?
3) How bad was the public health system in the middle ages?
4) Why did the church support Galen’s ideas?
5) What progress did the Islamic faith make in medicine?
6) Why was medicine more advanced in the Islamic world than in the Christian one?