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QR Challenge: Did medicine progress in the Middle Ages?

QuestionAnswer
After the collapse of the Roman empire Europe split into small kingdoms frequently fighting and invading each other.asfdgfg
Britain was taken over by tribes of Angles and Saxons whilst frequently being raided by Saxons. There simply wasn't any interest in Galen or public health.sfgsfhsg
Rulers of smaller kingdoms spent their money on wars and were often illiterate so had no interest in education.sghghg
Wars made travel very dangerous so doctors were less likely to gain experience or education outside their own area.gfsgfgf
Lots of wars led to serious injuries. This meant there was plenty of practice for surgeons on the battlefield.bnbhgh
Christianity and Islam made sure that the ideas of Galen was not completely lost after the fall of the Roman empire.artrtrta
Christians believed that sickness was sent by God to punish people for their sins.Therefore the sick could be healed if they prayed for forgiveness to Jesus Christ.rtrtrdd
Monks in monasteries copied out the bible and other ancient books by Galen and other medical writers from Greece and Rome by hand. These meant one copy took upto a year to produce.jgjss
The Christian church ran universities were physicians were trained following the ancient writings of Galen. The Church supported Galen because his books were ancient, just like the Bible and also because Galen said that each part of the body must have been designed by a higher being, such as a God.fhfsgsf
If you questioned the church's beliefs about Galen bad things could happen. Roger Bacon said that doctors should do their own research instead of just following Galen - the church threw him in prison.ghghgj
Islamic doctors wrote large volumes of medical encyclopaedias based on the writing of Galen and helped preserve his ideas. Al Razi wrote over 200 books whilst Ibn Sina wrote a book used to teach European physicians until 1600.hhkjhk
Both Islam and Christianity suggested followers should look after the sick and both religions founded hospitals. In Europe these were dominated by alters as prayer was the major treatment, whilst Arab hospitals were famous for the care they gave patients.khkjghd
Kings were not expected to improve hygeine or protect public health. Their job was to protect the country and keep law and order.hhjksa
Town councils and Kings often employed people and made laws to try and keep streets clean. This was very difficult as growing towns were full of animals with packed together houses and few paved streets.ghgdgdj
Outside of hospitals most care was provided by women who used remedies passed down by their mothers. If you had a little money you could see a surgeon who learnt through practice as apprentices and reading books by famous European surgeons such as Guy de Chauliac.jhkshsks
Only rich people could afford to see a physician who were the highest ranked doctors - trained at a university. They treated Kings, nobles and wealthy merchants but there were only a few - In England there were fewer than 100 in the 1300s.kjhsjkhsjk
Hospitals did not admit everyone. No lepers, lunatics or people with sickness, as well as pregnant women would not be admitted to some hospitals in England.hkhsksh
People believed that God sent illnesses such as the black death to punish peoples sins. The Anglo Saxons thought that elves and spirits (The devil's helpers) shot invisible arrows, known as elf shot to cause everyday illnesses such as headaches.tuystsuy
Physicians followed the theories of Hippocrates and Galen as a result of the churches training at university.Illness was therefore caused as the body's humours were out of balance, this belief also existed in Islamic countries because of their studies of Galen.hgsjhsj
As the black death killed millions desperate explanations were put forward including one from an English monk who blamed the outrageous fashions that people had been wearing in recent years. Minority groups such as Jews , who were said to have poisoned the water supply, were also blamed.hkhshs
Common sense explanations existed such as bad air was causing illness. Some people even connected bad air to the dirt and filth in the streets but could not explain exactly what the link was.gsjgs
Battlefield surgeons challenged Galen on the topic of 'Pus' which the ancient writers had said needed to form if a wound was to heal. Hugh and Theodoric encouraged the cleaning of wounds and use of wine (which attacks infections) to discourage 'Pus' forming.hghsghs
The best public health existed in monasteries because they could afford them. Monks were better fed than most people and lived in buildings with latrines, sewers and specific water supplies.gshsgghs
Physicians used urine charts which connected to the four humours to diagnose illness. For example white urine was a sign of too much phlegm in the body.sghsg
Physicians also used a zodiac chart to decide on the timing of the treatment as it was believed that parts of the body linked to the signs of the zodiac and position of planets.gahaghag
Surgeons often bled patients with a bleeding cup that had been warmed up. In some monasteries monks were bled twelve times a year to prevent illness, often until the point of unconsciousness.(Which is about three - four pints of blood)hsghgs
Common remedies were often remembered by women and were based on plants, herbs, minerals and animals. Many contained honey and plantain which acted like modern day antibiotics in fighting infection on cuts and wounds.asdfa

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