Medieval medicine 1250-1500
The Four humours
Blood,Black bile,Yellow Bile and phlegm
Theory-rational explanation of illness
This was only used on treated symptoms not cause of
disease
Medicine individuals
Hippocrates:
● He believed that the body was designed for purpose
● His worked was used by the church because of God’s
plan for humans
● Popularised his theory of the Four humours
● Was an ancient greek philosopher and doctor
● Produced ideas which were developed by Galen
Galen
● Developed the Theory of the Four Humours
● Promoted by the church for his belief in a soul and the
fact he was a classical writer so had influence.
● The authority of the church meant his work was not
questioned until the Renaissance.
● He did dissection and vivisection of animal anatomy
and not human anatomy
● The Theory of opposites gave treatments and
preventions for illnesses .
● Identified that the heart worked to pump blood around
the body but incorrectly identified that the liver
created blood which was used like a fuel.
Causes of disease
● God’s punishment
● Imbalence of the four humours
, Medieval medicine 1250-1500
● Miasma
● Alignment of the planets
natural-Hippocrates and Galen
Supernatural-spiritual influence
Influence of the church
● Church was powerful,dominated life
● They believed God caused disease
● All believed God caused disease
● All views on medicine were influenced by the church
● People believed diseases were a punishment from God
for their sins or God testing their faith
● Many people were not allowed to challenge Galen’s
Ideas
Medieval treatments
● Prayer
● Confessing of sins
● Balancing humours through Bleeding and purging
● Herbal remedies
● Pilgrimage
● Leaching
● Blood letting
● Physicians
● Apothecaries
● Barber surgeons
● Quacks
● Wise women and midwives
● Women at home
The Four humours
Blood,Black bile,Yellow Bile and phlegm
Theory-rational explanation of illness
This was only used on treated symptoms not cause of
disease
Medicine individuals
Hippocrates:
● He believed that the body was designed for purpose
● His worked was used by the church because of God’s
plan for humans
● Popularised his theory of the Four humours
● Was an ancient greek philosopher and doctor
● Produced ideas which were developed by Galen
Galen
● Developed the Theory of the Four Humours
● Promoted by the church for his belief in a soul and the
fact he was a classical writer so had influence.
● The authority of the church meant his work was not
questioned until the Renaissance.
● He did dissection and vivisection of animal anatomy
and not human anatomy
● The Theory of opposites gave treatments and
preventions for illnesses .
● Identified that the heart worked to pump blood around
the body but incorrectly identified that the liver
created blood which was used like a fuel.
Causes of disease
● God’s punishment
● Imbalence of the four humours
, Medieval medicine 1250-1500
● Miasma
● Alignment of the planets
natural-Hippocrates and Galen
Supernatural-spiritual influence
Influence of the church
● Church was powerful,dominated life
● They believed God caused disease
● All believed God caused disease
● All views on medicine were influenced by the church
● People believed diseases were a punishment from God
for their sins or God testing their faith
● Many people were not allowed to challenge Galen’s
Ideas
Medieval treatments
● Prayer
● Confessing of sins
● Balancing humours through Bleeding and purging
● Herbal remedies
● Pilgrimage
● Leaching
● Blood letting
● Physicians
● Apothecaries
● Barber surgeons
● Quacks
● Wise women and midwives
● Women at home
