Medieval Medicine By Brian, Abby, and Austin

Humors Balance of the 4 to have good well-being I guess Achieved with diet, medicine, and phlebotomy Blood Phlegm Black Bile Yellow Bile

"Surgery" (they like leeches) Phlebotomy- having leeches take the blood from certain veins - believed certain veins would affect certain organs - most surgeons were also barbers - Derivation and Revulsion - Derivation- take blood directly from source - Revulsion- take blood from remote place

Causes for Disease and Hospitals Hospitals run by monasteries and churches Reserved for lepers and long-term sick Necessary to be referred by priest or parish Unclean water Bad Hygiene Poor diet (lack of dairy products-low resistance) Crowded, dirty towns

Superstitions and Cures Blood-letting: restores balance of body fluids Saint shrines and holy places Scrofula: "The King's Evil" Herbal remedies: wormwood (worm-infested digestive system), lungwort (chest pains), lemon balm (everything), feverfew (headaches and labor pains), marjoram (bruises) Fruit is bad for you

Dangers of Blood Letting etc Infection Cutting artery instead of vein Cutting of nerves Usually ends in continued illness or death of patient

Doctors Doctors were less bound to the church Astrology and the "humors" were believed to effect the body Recognized as profession in early 1200s by the upper class

Types of Doctors Physicians: studied as doctors and received medical licenses Surgeons: associated with barbers and cut Barbers: lesser surgeons, only allowed to let blood and pull teeth Apothecary: Sold herbs and drugs and perfumes "Wise Woman": Served the poor and lower classes