MEDIEVAL AGES HEALTH

GENERAL HEALTH

• Population increase caused worsening hygiene conditions lead to vast array of health problems
• Medical knowledge limited; Europe doesn't have adequate health care system
• Many myths and superstitions about healthcare (people believe disease is spread by bad odor)
• Body was viewed as part of universe

TREATMENT

• Medical treatment mainly available to wealthy
• Many treatments administered by non-doctors
• People died because unprofessional people made bad judgements about treatment because of lack of knowledge
• Remedies were often made from natural substances (most included urine earthworms, and animal excrements
• Treatments ranged from administering laxatives and diuretics to fumigation, cauterization, and the taking of hot baths and/or herbs.

HUMORS

• Natural function were though to be best way of maintaining health
• Any body fluid that could be disposed through sweat, tear, feces, or urine
• When one of the systems broke down illness occurred
• Medieval doctors stressed prevention exercise a good diet and a good environment
• One of the best diagnostic tools was uroscopy I which the color of the patients Uriel was used to determine the treatment

SURGERY

• Surgery was performed as a last resort
• The most common form of surgery was blood-letting
• Blood-letting was meant to restore the amount of fluids in the body
• Some potions used to relieve pain or induce sleep during the surgery were potentially lethal