Approaches to prevention and treatment Flashcards

All 11 cards in this deck

What was Galen's Theory of Opposites?

Treating an imbalance of humours with the opposite quality.
e.g. a cold illness (too much phlegm) treated with hot peppers.

Which two treatments followed from the belief that disease was caused by an imbalance of the Four Humours?

Bloodletting (bleeding) and purging.

Give one way medieval people tried to prevent disease caused by miasma.

Purifying the air, e.g. carrying sweet-smelling herbs or burning sweet-smelling materials.

Give one religious action medieval people used to prevent or treat illness.

Prayer, fasting or pilgrimage to a holy shrine.

What was a Regimen Sanitatis?

A set of instructions from a physician on keeping healthy, e.g. diet, exercise and cleanliness, to keep the humours balanced.

What was the role of the physician in medieval England?

To diagnose illness (often by examining the patient's urine) and prescribe treatment, directing the apothecary and barber surgeon.

What was the role of the apothecary?

To mix and sell medicines made from herbs, spices and minerals, often ready-made for people who could not afford a physician.

What was the role of the barber surgeon?

To carry out bloodletting and simple surgery such as pulling teeth and lancing boils.

Who provided care in most medieval hospitals, and what was their focus?

Untrained monks and nuns, who focused on care rather than cure.

Who treated most sick people in medieval England?

The women of the family at home, using herbal and folk remedies.

What was medieval physicians' medical training based on?

The works of Galen and the Theory of the Four Humours, studied at Church-controlled universities.