Public Health in the Middle Ages

?
  • Created by: lx1234
  • Created on: 14-04-18 12:58
What is Public Health
The health and well being of the population as a whole.
1 of 20
Why was water unhygienic?
Towns grew, the systems could not cope with the increased demand for water, rivers were often used to remove sewage and other waste.
2 of 20
Why was sewage unhygienic?
Towns were usually dirty with only a few paved streets, cesspits could overflow onto roads into rivers.
3 of 20
Why was rubbish unhygienic?
In poor areas streets stank and were often littered with toilet waste and household rubbish.
4 of 20
Why was "Tradesmens waste" unhygienic?
Leather tanning used dangerous chemicals while meat butchers dumped the waste blood and guts into rivers.
5 of 20
How did Medieval towns make water hygienic?
They took water from local springs, wells or rivers. Some roman water systems survived and worked well whilst towns like Exeter used new technology with pipes made from wood or lead.
6 of 20
How did Medieval towns make sewage hygienic?
Some private houses had privies (outside toilets) with cesspits to collect sewage, people left money in wills to build public privies for towns citizens.
7 of 20
How did Medieval towns make rubbish hygienic?
Town councils passed laws encouraging people to keep the streets in front of their houses clean and tidy.
8 of 20
How did Medieval towns make Tradesmen's waste hygienic?
Town councils and local craft guides tried to encourage tradesmen to keep to certain areas and keep them clean.
9 of 20
Why was it difficult to keep towns clean?
1) Population grew, towns facilities couldn't cope. 2) Rivers used for drinking water, transport and removing waste 3) People had no knowledge of germs and their link to disease and infection.
10 of 20
How did Medieval people believe disease was spread?
Bad air, they were keen to keep bad smells away.
11 of 20
What is a dormitory?
A place where monks washed their clothes regularly as well as hands and feet.
12 of 20
What is a privy?
Outside toilets which were emptied into pits, from which the waste was taken to be used as manure.
13 of 20
What is a River Skell?
A place where waste water from toilets is put into the rivers.
14 of 20
What is the Infirmary hall?
A small hospital.
15 of 20
What is a lavatorium?
Pipes that delivered local well water to wash basins, filtered removed any dirt.
16 of 20
Why was wealth a reason for improving conditions in the middle ages?
People had money to spend on cleaner facilities, many people gave money, valuables and lands in return for prayers to be said for them when they died, monks made a lot of money from producing wool and used large areas of donated land to keep sheep.
17 of 20
Why was knowledge a reason for improving conditions in the middle ages?
Monks could read and understand books in their library, they learned the basic idea of separating clean water from wastewater and understood the Roman idea of a simple routine involving moderation diet, sleep and exercise to balance humours.
18 of 20
Why was location a reason for improving conditions in the middle ages?
Isolation helped protect monks from epidemics (believed lay people were sinful so stayed away), monasteries were near to rivers, water was an important resource to supply mills, kitchens, bakeries and breweries.
19 of 20
Why were rules a reason for improving conditions in the middle ages?
The monks obeyed the abbot strictly, they had simple lives and followed a routine, they kept clean for God and had routines of cleanliness. (e.g a bath once a month)
20 of 20

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Why was water unhygienic?

Back

Towns grew, the systems could not cope with the increased demand for water, rivers were often used to remove sewage and other waste.

Card 3

Front

Why was sewage unhygienic?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Why was rubbish unhygienic?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Why was "Tradesmens waste" unhygienic?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Medicine through time (OCR History A) resources »