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Edexcel GCSE History| Medieval
Medicine, 1250-1500| Exam 2025/2026
Updated Questions and Answers|
[Graded]
Assess the influence of the Church on medical thinking in medieval England.
The Church controlled education, so most people believed disease was punishment from
God, not something you could explain with science.
Explain why Galen’s ideas remained widely accepted during this period.
His work fit Church teachings, especially the idea of one creator, and was taught in
universities, so people didn’t question it much.
To what extent did astrology shape diagnosis and treatment?
Quite a bit—many believed the stars affected health, so physicians checked star charts to
decide when to treat someone.
Analyse the role of the four humours in medieval understanding of disease.
People thought illness came from imbalanced humours, so treatments focused on restoring
balance, like using bloodletting or purging.
, 2
Why did most treatments remain based on natural rather than supernatural methods?
Even though people believed in God’s role, many used herbs, bleeding, and diets because
those were everyday, practical methods.
Explain the purpose of regimen sanitatis and its popularity among the wealthy.
It was a personal health guide (like medieval wellness tips) on how to stay healthy, often
used by rich people who could afford doctors.
How did medieval hospitals differ from modern ones?
They focused more on prayer and comfort than curing disease. Most were run by the Church
and didn’t even allow contagious patients.
Why were physicians rare and expensive in medieval England?
Training took years and used Latin texts—so most people saw cheaper options like
apothecaries or local healers.
Assess the reasons why surgery remained risky and limited in this period.
No anaesthetic or germ theory meant high infection and pain. Surgeons had little training—
some were just barbers with sharp tools.
Explain the significance of Hippocrates’ approach to medicine.
He promoted observation and natural causes of illness, which influenced medical thinking
for centuries—even if his ideas weren’t always right.
Edexcel GCSE History| Medieval
Medicine, 1250-1500| Exam 2025/2026
Updated Questions and Answers|
[Graded]
Assess the influence of the Church on medical thinking in medieval England.
The Church controlled education, so most people believed disease was punishment from
God, not something you could explain with science.
Explain why Galen’s ideas remained widely accepted during this period.
His work fit Church teachings, especially the idea of one creator, and was taught in
universities, so people didn’t question it much.
To what extent did astrology shape diagnosis and treatment?
Quite a bit—many believed the stars affected health, so physicians checked star charts to
decide when to treat someone.
Analyse the role of the four humours in medieval understanding of disease.
People thought illness came from imbalanced humours, so treatments focused on restoring
balance, like using bloodletting or purging.
, 2
Why did most treatments remain based on natural rather than supernatural methods?
Even though people believed in God’s role, many used herbs, bleeding, and diets because
those were everyday, practical methods.
Explain the purpose of regimen sanitatis and its popularity among the wealthy.
It was a personal health guide (like medieval wellness tips) on how to stay healthy, often
used by rich people who could afford doctors.
How did medieval hospitals differ from modern ones?
They focused more on prayer and comfort than curing disease. Most were run by the Church
and didn’t even allow contagious patients.
Why were physicians rare and expensive in medieval England?
Training took years and used Latin texts—so most people saw cheaper options like
apothecaries or local healers.
Assess the reasons why surgery remained risky and limited in this period.
No anaesthetic or germ theory meant high infection and pain. Surgeons had little training—
some were just barbers with sharp tools.
Explain the significance of Hippocrates’ approach to medicine.
He promoted observation and natural causes of illness, which influenced medical thinking
for centuries—even if his ideas weren’t always right.
