middle ages era

8/13/2019 Middle Ages Era

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Boardworks Ltd 20041 of 20

MEDICINE IN THE MIDDLE

AGES AD 5001500

The History of Medicine


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Key PointsPrimitive medicine

dominated by

superstition &

dogma(Dark Ages

of Medicine)

Medical Care in

Islamic Tradition

during the middle

Ages

Christianity

exerted a

wholesome

influence

Dawn of Scientific

Medicine


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The fall of the Roman EmpireThe Roman Empiregrew until it could no

longer control its borders successfully.Barbarian tribes overran the western parts of

the empire, and by AD 500 Europe consisted of

many small, feuding tribal kingdoms. These

kingdoms were often at war with each other.

What effects do you think these wars had on the

benefits that the Roman Empire had brought?


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The wars meant that many of the Roman developments

were lost.

Roman buildings, public health

systems,

librariesand

medical books

were destroyed.

It was now dangerous to travel, so communications were

limited, and there were far fewer opportunities for doctors

to learn or train.


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education

communications

Can you explain how the factors of war,

communications and education might have affected

the progress of medicine at this time?

war


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Britain in the Dark AgesAfter the Romans left Britain in AD 410, society went back

to its pre-Roman, uncultured ways. The next 500 yearswere known as the Dark Ages.

During this time Britain experienced

many invasions by different

peoples, including the Saxons and

Vikings. Some invaders took what

they wanted and destroyed things

they didnt; many settled in Britain.

What medical progress or regress would you expect

to have seen at this time?


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Norman BritainIn 1066 the Normans invaded Britain. This period, the

Middle Ages, brought some improvements to publichealth, travel became safer and trade increased.

For the wealthy in society, such as lords

and barons, living standards improved with

stone-built castles and manor houses.For the majority, the peasants, however,

home was usually a small house

consisting of one room for the whole

family. Inside it was dark, smoke-filled anddamp. Peasants worked from dawn till

dusk, usually in the fields, in all weathers.

What effect do you think living conditions had

on the health of the rich and the poor?


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Religion and medicine in the Middle AgesAfter the Norman conquest

the churchalso becamewealthier and stronger all

over Europe.

The medieval church was a

very powerful force duringthis time, and had a huge

impact on the development

of medicine.

On the next slide you will learn about the main waysreligion affected medicine during this period. Decide

whether the church helped or hindered medical

development in each case.


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How were people treated for illnesses

Do you think that all these types of treatments

were available to all types of people?



Supernatural or natural



Many ordinary people were treated at home by their

wife or mother. Doctors were very expensive, andherbal remedieshanded down from mother to

daughter were probably as effective as any treatment.

How effective was herbal medicine

Herbs have been used in healthcare throughout

the history of medicine. As communicationsimproved, new plants were discovered, and the

range of herbal remedies expanded. In the

Middle Ages, herbal remedies continued to be

used and gradually became more effective.

For herbs to have been used for so long, it is likely that

they had some positive effects. We now know that about

50% of ancient herbal cures were effective, although

those using them would not have understood why.



Herbal remedies effective or not



Medical progress in the Middle AgesAlthough it may seem as if there was little medical

progress during this period of history, there were someimportant developments.

MedicaldevelopmentsUrine was

analysed for

the first time,

an aid to

diagnosis stillused by

doctors today.

The

establishment

of schools for

doctors

improved thequality of

medical care.Wine was used as an

antiseptic and drugs

were used to numb pain

in surgery.

Hospitals provided a place where

the sick could be cared for.



The Black DeathIn 134849 Britain faced the worst crisis in its history. A

deadly disease, originating in Asia, arrived from Europe.This disease was the bubonic

plague. The symptoms were a

fever, headache, tiredness and

painful swellings (buboes) the sizeof apples in the groin and armpits.

Small, oozing red and black spots

appeared all over the body, giving

the disease the name the Black

Death. Many patients only lasted a

few days before a painful death.

Nearly 40%of the English population died.



What was believed to cause the Black Death?

It was not until 1894that it was

discovered that the bubonic plague

was caused by germs, carried by the

fleas which live on black rats.

Back in 1349people had very different ideas about the

cause of the disease.

Look at the list of the causes people believed in on the

next slide.



Annoying God

the plague was

his punishment.

Looking at a victim

the disease was

spread by eye

contact.

Breathing bad air (miasma)

medieval towns were very

smelly and the smell was

supposed to contain diseases.

Drinking from

poisoned wells

Germans believed

the Jews werepoisoning drinking

water to kill off non-

Jews.

The position of the

planetsthe

relationship of the

planets and the

movement of theSun affected health.

An imbalance ofthe bodys four

humours

Galen cant be

wrong!

Touching a

victim.What did

people

believecaused the

Black

Death?



How did people try to prevent or cure the

Plague?

On the next slide you will see some of the treatments

people at the time tried to prevent or cure the Plague.

What do the ideas on causes and treatments tell usabout medieval people's medical knowledge?



Drink 10-year-

old treacle.

Eat arsenic

powder.

Sit in a sewer

the bad air of the

Plague will bedriven away by

the worse air of

the drains.

Eat crushed emeralds.

Strap a live

chicken

(shaved) to the

Plague sore.

Kill all the

dogs andcats in town.

Let the blood outof the patient.

Put herbs on

the fire to

make the air

smell sweet.

Run for

the hills.

How to

prevent the

Black Death

Go from

town to town

floggingyourself with

a whip.


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The golden age of Arabicmedicine(800-1300 A.D.)

When Europe was passingthrough the Dark Ages, the

Arabs stole a march over therest of the civilization.

Unani system of medicine-borrowed largely from theGreeks and Romans.

They founded schools ofmedicine and hospitals in

Baghdad,Damascus,Cairoand other Muslim capitals.

Arabs lit a brilliant torchfrom greecian lamps, saidOsler.

Abu Becr (865-925) also

known as Rhazes

Ibn Sina (980/1037) Avicenna

to the western world

Ali Ibn Isa al-kahhal(d.400-

1010) famous Arabic oculist

Ahmad Ibn

Miskawayh(d.421/1030)

Tahdhib al-Akhlaq(wrote first

time in a systematic manner on

the spiritual aspects of health

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali(441-

504/1058-1111) professor of

Islamic Science at Madrasah

Nizamiyyah

al-Mukhtar ibn

butlan(d.460/1068)


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Avicenna was an intellectualprodigy Rhazes was a director of alarge hospital in Baghdadand a court physician as well


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Colophon of RazisBook of Medicine

(Rhazes) Isolatedmany chemicalsubstances, producedmany medications,and manylaboratory apparatus

A drawing ofAvicenna from1271


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Rhazes, as noted for keen observationand inventiveness, he was the first toobserve pupillary reaction to light; to usemercurial purgatives; and to publish thefirst known book on Childrens diseases.

However, the work most highly regardedtoday is his book on smallpox andmeasles which he distinguished clinically.



The effect of Arab medicine on the West

The Dark Ages might have been a time of chaos for Europe,

but further east a new, Islamic civilization was developingancient Greek medical ideas.

The Arabs admired thewritings of Hippocratesand

Galen. Medical students

studied them carefully. New

discoveries were made,

some of which challengedGalens ideas.



When Europeans went on crusades to

the Holy Land in the 12th and 13thcenturies, their doctors gained first-hand

knowledge of Arab medicine, which was

advanced by Western standards.

The Muslims believed, however, that the Quran, their holy

book, held all the knowledge needed and did not encouragethe search for new discoveries. The Quran taught them to

look after the sick, and many large hospitals were built.

However, criticizing Galen was allowed, and so many new

discoveries were made in the Arabian empire, more thanwere made in Europe at the time.


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MIDDLE AGES ERA IN PREVENTIVEMEDICINE

Dawn of Scientific Medicine

The period following 1500 A.D. was marked byrevolutions- political, industrial, religious and

medical. Political revolutions took place in France and

America, people claiming their just rights.

The industrial revolution in the West broughtgreat benefits leading to an improvement inthe standard of living among people.

With advancing degrees of civilization, medicinealso evolved.


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PRESENTED BY: GROUP B

Roll Number: 16-32

MSC-PUBLIC HEALTH

PUNJAB UNIVERSITYCLASS OF PUBLIC HEALTHPRINCIPLES ANDPRACTICE:BYPROF.DR.ASHRAF MAJROOH

middle ages era

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