Question 1: Describe the main differences between medieval and Renaissance medicine in terms of how doctors diagnosed illnesses.

Answer: In medieval times, doctors relied heavily on the theory of the four humours and signs such as urine and pulse. During the Renaissance, there was a shift towards more scientific methods, including dissection and observation to understand the human body better.

Question 2: Explain why the invention of the printing press was important for medical knowledge during the Renaissance.

Answer: The printing press allowed medical books and ideas to be spread more widely and quickly, enabling doctors and students to access new knowledge, challenge old ideas, and learn about human anatomy and new treatments.

Question 3: Identify two key figures in Renaissance medicine and briefly describe their contributions.

Answer: Andreas Vesalius challenged the ideas of Galen by dissecting human bodies and creating accurate anatomical drawings. William Harvey discovered the circulation of blood, changing understanding of the human body.

Question 4: What was the significance of Vesalius’s work on human anatomy?

Answer: Vesalius’s work provided accurate anatomical knowledge based on dissection, which corrected many errors from medieval texts and improved medical understanding.

Question 5: Discuss how the ideas of Galen were challenged during the Renaissance.

Answer: Galen’s ideas were based on animal dissection and were accepted for centuries. Renaissance doctors like Vesalius performed human dissections, revealing inaccuracies and encouraging new understanding of anatomy.

Question 6: Explain the role of hospitals during the Renaissance and how it differed from medieval times.

Answer: Renaissance hospitals began to focus more on scientific approaches and cleanliness, though they still mainly provided care for the poor. They became places for learning and applying new medical knowledge.

Question 7: Draw a simple diagram of a Renaissance medical classroom or laboratory. Label key features such as dissection tables, books, and tools.

Answer: A correct sketch would show a room with a dissection table at the center, surrounded by shelves or tables with medical books, and tools such as scalpels and forceps. The room might also include a large window for light.

Question 8: What impact did the discovery of the circulation of blood have on medicine in the Renaissance?

Answer: It fundamentally changed understanding of how blood moves in the body, leading to better knowledge of the cardiovascular system and influencing treatments and surgeries.

Question 9: Describe how Renaissance ideas about medicine influenced later developments in medical science.

Answer: Renaissance ideas promoted scientific investigation, dissection, and questioning of old authorities, laying the groundwork for modern anatomy, physiology, and scientific medicine.

Question 10: Identify one challenge Renaissance doctors faced when trying to introduce new ideas about medicine.

Answer: Many doctors and scholars were resistant to change because they relied on traditional authorities like Galen, and the church sometimes opposed dissection and new scientific methods.