| you hear the word "Medieval," what images pop into | | | | tested people, through diseases. |
| your head? Perhaps you think of towering castles, | | | | Today, medical staff can take steps to curb the |
| dueling knights, and fair maidens. Of course, it was an | | | | spread of infectious bacteria, such as through sterilizing |
| era far removed from today's doctors and nurses | | | | instruments and wearing hygienic scrubs. However, |
| who wear scrubs, such as cheap urbane scrubs. | | | | during this juncture in medieval times, doctors reverted |
| However, understanding medieval medicine can give | | | | to the Hippocrates' belief that a balance of the four |
| us a better understanding (and appreciation for) of | | | | "humours" (liquids) in people, resulted in good health. |
| today's medical world. Here are some highlights of the | | | | 4. Galen was king through much of the Middle Ages |
| period: | | | | During this period, many considered the works of |
| 1. Medieval medicine included a regression in medicine | | | | Galen (a Greek in ancient Rome) to be flawless. Galen |
| During this period, knowledge and skills regarding | | | | had developed several of the theories that |
| medical matters actually moved backwards! After the | | | | Hippocrates had established. Medical schools and |
| Roman Empire collapsed in 476 AD, Europe | | | | universities often taught his theories as factual, |
| descended into the Dark Ages. That is where it | | | | although they were frequently incorrect (they were |
| remained for more than five centuries. Society did not | | | | based on the dissection of animals). At this time, the |
| train doctors, and medical knowledge from the ancient | | | | dissection of humans was quite limited, and physicians |
| Romans' and Greeks' texts, became irrelevant. | | | | could only conduct them to support Galen's theories! |
| Everyday people often used home remedies, and | | | | That fact alone shows the tremendous influence that |
| sought medical treatment from their friendly | | | | Galen's works had on doctors, during the Middle Ages. |
| neighborhood "wise men." | | | | 5. Disease was rampant |
| 2. Physicians were again trained starting in the 1000s | | | | Even though the Middle Ages resulted in Europe |
| Doctors obtained medical knowledge through revisiting | | | | revisiting the formal training for physicians, the Black |
| the writings of the Greeks Hippocrates and Galen, | | | | Death nonetheless wiped out up to half of the entire |
| which the Catholic Church had been hoarding for | | | | population of Europe! Unfortunately, medicine had |
| centuries. Also, doctors obtained knowledge through | | | | simply not developed enough, to adequately deal with |
| the Muslim world, where the medical field had thrived. | | | | the situation. Society valued explanations related to |
| By the 1200s, the church had established various | | | | spirituality, much more than those of doctors. |
| medical schools and universities, while all TRUE | | | | While the Middle Ages certainly had their dark |
| doctors required formal instruction. | | | | moments and practices, they resulted in the rebirth of |
| 3. Doctors revisited the "four humours" theory | | | | formal training for physicians. This era was ultimately |
| At this time, doctors did not have the knowledge that | | | | valuable in the eventual discovery of bacteria and the |
| today's medical professionals have, regarding bacteria. | | | | link of bacteria to disease. Thanks to innovations such |
| Thus, a widespread belief was that God punished or | | | | as scrubs, the Dark Ages will stay in the dark past! |