the renaissance

term given to a period of european history meaning 'rebirth'

it saw the 'rebirth' of ideas and theories in medicine that people tested and challenged

great period for exploration

people from europe 'discovered' new parts of the world, bringing new plants from africa and america that were useful in medicine

new religious ideas challenged the authority of the catholic churc, and other christian churchs emerged.

people were still religious but the church's authority declined.

the royal society was established in britain in 1660 by educated men  who wanted to discuss scientific ideas

they would be based on, experiments, observations and recording/communicating results

ANDREAS VERSALIUS

professor of surgery at padus university

proved many of galen's theories were incorrect.

versalius drew the muscles, skeleton, nerves and organs of the human body from dissections

in 1543 published the book: THE FABRIC OF THE HUMAN BODY

allowing others to learn about the human anatomy

WILLIAM HARVEY

london doctor

discovered galen was wrong about blood

harvey discovered veins ONLY carried blood

which was pumped through the heart

published his findings in 1628 in a book called- AN ATOMICAL ACCOUNT OF THE MOTION OF THE HEART AND BLOOD IN ANIMALS

developments in technology had a POSITIVE IMPACT on medicine:

• better microscope lenses
• invention of mechanical pumps - helped people understand the body worked like a machine
• MOST IMPORTANTLY- printing press was invented in the mid 15th century- allowing ideas and discoveries to be published and widely circulated

discoveries in the renaissance had no impact on medicine.

it didn't improve treatments or life expectancy

the causes of diesease were still not understood

harvey and vesalius' ideas were slow to be accepted

medical teaching were still based on galen's theories

old treatment methods still used