Medieval Medicine
Medieval medicine, spanning roughly from the 5th to the 15th century, was shaped by a mix of ancient practices, religious beliefs, and emerging scientific ideas. Physicians relied on the theory of the four humors—blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile—believing that imbalances caused illness. Treatments included herbal remedies, bloodletting, and prayer. Medical knowledge often came from texts by ancient Greeks and Romans, with monks preserving this knowledge in monasteries. While medicine was rudimentary by modern standards, it laid groundwork for future advancements, as the Renaissance later sparked a renewed interest in anatomy and empirical observation.
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Medieval medicine, practiced roughly from the 5th to the 15th century, was influenced by ancient texts and religious beliefs. Physicians relied on a mix of herbal remedies, bloodletting, and the theory of the four humors (blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile). Diagnosis often linked illness to supernatural forces or imbalances in the body. While advances were limited, some hospitals began to emerge, and surgical practices existed, albeit rudimentary. The period also saw the rise of universities, cultivating a more systematic approach to medical knowledge, although much was still based on tradition and superstition.
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Medieval medicine, spanning roughly from the 5th to the late 15th century, was influenced by ancient texts and religious beliefs. Physicians often relied on the theory of the four humors—blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile—believing that imbalance caused illness. Treatments included herbal remedies, bloodletting, and prayers, reflecting a mix of superstition and emerging scientific understanding. Hospitals began to appear, primarily run by religious institutions, but many practitioners lacked formal training. While some methods were ineffective, this period laid groundwork for future advancements in medicine and the scientific approach that would emerge in the Renaissance.