Middle Ages

Overview

• 500AD - 1500AD
• the collapse of the Roman Empire led to the Dark Ages (regression)
• Saxons came over to Britian and reintroduced medical cures based on mostly superstition and magic
• all books were destroyed except for the works of Galen
• roads were destroyed so new ideas became more difficult to spread
• public health system fell to disrepair - destruction of aqueducts/public baths, no sewage system (open sewers in the road), cesspits/dunghills in the street, infected water
• money was spent on war - didn't see the importance of public health
• Christian Church was re-established

Influences of the Church

• Catholic churches dominated Britain - most powerful group
• church ran universities - providing education
• most highly educated people were members of the church
• they restricted knowledge and discouraged new ideas
• believed that illness was a punishment for sins
• faith healing - prayer and penitence would cure them
• positive feelings of healing - placebo effect
• medical care for the poor often came from hospitals set up by the monasteries
• looked to God for the answers - didn't look for a natural cause
• 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' - monks washed quite frequently however this access of clean water wasn't available to the members of the public
• life after death - believed if they suffered in this lifetime then they would be rewarded in heaven
• the treatment at monastery hospitals was very basic - care, not cure
• Hotel Dieu in Paris - the King's Doctor and Pare both worked there
• hospitals were very uncommon
• dissection was banned as it was deemed offensive to God
• however…