The Renaissance

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  • The Renaissance
    • Change and Continuity
      • Western doctors gained access to the original writings of Galen and Hippocrates.
        • This lead o a greater intrest in the four humoutrs theory and treatment by opposites.
        • People started to question galen but continued to follow his studies.
      • People started to work based on direct observation and experiments.
      • Many new books saying anatomy and dissections were important had been found.
        • This encouraged people to come to their own conclusions.
      • Protestant Christianity spread across Europe, although religion was still important it no longer had the same influence.
      • Doctors were still very expensive so many people still used other healers.
        • Superstition and religion were still important, people though 'the kings touch' could cure scrofula.
    • Medical knowledge
      • Many doctors trained at the College of Physicians
        • Here they studied Galen, but also studied recent medical developments.
          • It encourage licensing to stop the influence of fake physicians.
      • New weapons had bee made meaning new injuries meaning new cures had to be found.
      • Explorations brought bake new ingredients for medicines.
      • The dissolution of the monasteries meant a large number of hospitals shut down.
        • They were replaced by new hospitals run by trained physicians who focused more on treatment.
          • St Mary of Bethlehem's hospital was for mentally ill people but some just had learning disabilities or were just poor.
            • People visited them to watch the patients for entertainment
          • They were only for the 'deserving' poor those who lead hardworking respectable lives.
            • People sometimes had to work in hospitals and those with incurable diseases weren't allowed in.
    • Important People
      • Versalius
        • Performed dissections on criminals who had been executed.
        • He wrote books based on observation with accurate diagrams. eg. ' The Fabric of the Human Body'
        • Proved Galen wrong and found over 200 mistakes.
        • His ideas were printed using a printing press.
        • He encouraged more people to use dissections.
      • Sydenham
        • Believed in practical experience.
        • made detailed observations and kept accurate records of their symptoms
        • he thought diseases could be classified using symptoms like animals or plants.
        • He showed scarlet fever was different to measles and introduced laudanum to relive pain.
        • Wrote 'Medical Observations' which was used by doctors for 200 years.
      • Harvey
        • Studied both animals and humans.
        • He could observe animal hearts in action and apply it to humans.
          • He discovered blood wasn't produced in the liver or lungs and wasn't consumed.
        • Discovered blood circulated round the body, that he compared to the new style water pump. But bloodletting continued.
        • Changed how people understood  anatomy helping transfusions(although rarely successful)  and complex surgery.
        • Showed Vesalius was right about the importance of dissection.
      • Many still  refused to disagree with Galen.
    • The printing press
      • Accelerated the rate of progress in medicine. As it was easier and took less time.
        • Pare was a French army surgeon whos ideas were translated and reprinted. His work influenced many others.
          • People could question existing texts.
          • at least 600 edits of Galen's work were printed.
        • However it was unclear what Galen had originally written and so his writings seemed less reliable
      • Students could have their own copy of textbooks.
    • The Royal Society
      • Supported b King Charles II so it had high status.
      • Spread scientific theories and got people to trust new technology.
        • Its motto was Take no ones word for it.
        • Not many people could read so it only had an impact on a small part of society.
    • The Great plague 1665
      • Recurrence of the black death.
        • Killed about 20% of the population.
          • Most treatments were based on magic, religion and fasting.
            • Luck charms, special remedies, bloodletting, miasma.
              • Some people would strap a live chicken to the swellings saying it would be transferred to the chicken.
          • Councils tried to quarantine victims, their house was locked and a red cross with 'lord have mercy on us' was painted on it.
            • They were largely  ineffective a they didn't know the cause of the disease.
          • Crowded areas were closed.
            • Mass graves were made.
        • Many people fled the city but doctors and priest were he most affected as they helped the sick.
          • Cats and dogs were killed as they were though to carry it.

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