Question 1: When did the Black Death reach England?

Answer: 1348

Question 2: Who was Galen and why was his work influential in Medieval Medicine?

Answer: Galen was a Greek physician whose theories on anatomy and health dominated medieval medical thought, influencing practices for centuries.

Question 3: Name one common treatment used in Medieval Medicine.

Answer: Bleeding or herbal remedies

Question 4: What was the main belief about the cause of illness in Medieval Medicine?

Answer: Imbalance of the four humours

Question 5: Describe the role of the Church in Medieval Medicine.

Answer: The Church influenced medical practices by promoting spiritual healing, controlling hospitals, and often opposing scientific ideas that conflicted with religious teachings.

Question 1: Source: 'Humours must be balanced for good health; bloodletting is a safe and effective treatment.' What is the purpose of this source, and what does it reveal about medieval beliefs?

Answer: The purpose is to promote bloodletting as a common treatment; it reveals that medieval medicine was based on balancing humours and that such practices were widely accepted.

Question 2: Evaluate the reliability of this source: '[A physician describing bloodletting as a cure]'.

Answer: The source reflects contemporary medical beliefs but may be biased as physicians promoted bloodletting; it is useful but not fully reliable for understanding its effectiveness.

Question 3: What audience is this source likely intended for, and how might that influence its content?

Answer: It is likely aimed at fellow physicians or the educated elite, promoting accepted practices and possibly encouraging adherence to traditional treatments.

Question 1: Explain why the belief in the Four Humours influenced medical treatments during the Medieval period.

Answer: The theory of the Four Humours suggested that health depended on balancing bodily fluids, leading doctors to use treatments like bloodletting and purging to restore balance, which shaped medieval medical practices.

Question 2: Describe how religious beliefs affected approaches to health and illness in Medieval Europe.

Answer: Religious beliefs often attributed illness to punishment from God, leading to spiritual healing practices, prayer, and pilgrimages, which coexisted with medical treatments.

Question 3: Explain the significance of hospitals in Medieval Medicine.

Answer: Medieval hospitals, often run by religious orders, provided care for the sick, emphasizing spiritual healing and charity, and were important centers for medical treatment and religious practice.

Question 1: To what extent did religious beliefs influence medical practices in Medieval Europe?

Answer: Religious beliefs had a profound influence on Medieval Medicine, shaping the understanding of illness as divine punishment and promoting spiritual healing. Hospitals were religious institutions, and many treatments combined prayer with traditional practices. However, some physicians also sought natural remedies. Overall, religion was central to medical practice, but it coexisted with practical treatments based on humoral theory.

Question 2: How far do you agree that the lack of scientific understanding was the main reason medieval medicine was ineffective?

Answer: While the lack of scientific knowledge limited the effectiveness of medieval medicine, other factors such as reliance on incorrect theories like the Four Humours and religious influences also played significant roles. The combination of superstition, limited technology, and dogmatic beliefs meant that many treatments were ineffective or harmful. Therefore, the lack of scientific understanding was a major factor, but not the only reason for the limitations of medieval medicine.