Question 1: Describe two common beliefs about the causes of illness in Medieval Europe.

Answer: Many believed that illnesses were caused by supernatural forces such as evil spirits or punishment from God. Some also thought miasma, or 'bad air', was responsible for disease.

Question 2: Explain the role of the Church in Medieval medicine.

Answer: The Church influenced medical practice by promoting religious healing, controlling medical knowledge, and encouraging prayer and penance as ways to cure illness.

Question 3: List three treatments that were commonly used during the Medieval period.

Answer: Herbal remedies, bloodletting, and prayer or religious rituals.

Question 4: Why was the theory of the Four Humours important in Medieval medicine?

Answer: It was believed that health depended on balancing four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Imbalance was thought to cause illness, guiding treatments like bleeding.

Question 5: Identify and explain two limitations of Medieval medical knowledge.

Answer: Medieval doctors lacked understanding of germs and bacteria, so they could not treat infections effectively. Additionally, reliance on flawed theories like the Four Humours limited effective cures.

Question 6: Describe what a medieval doctor might do during a bloodletting treatment.

Answer: The doctor would make an incision or use leeches to draw blood from the patient, believing it would restore the balance of the humours.

Question 7: Sketch a simple diagram showing the basic setup of a medieval hospital or infirmary.

Answer: A correct sketch would show a large hall with beds or cots for patients, a space for monks or healers to work, and possibly a separate area for herbal remedies or bloodletting.

Question 8: Explain how astrology influenced Medieval medicine.

Answer: Doctors often used astrology to diagnose illnesses, believing that the positions of planets and stars affected health. Treatments might be scheduled based on astrological charts.

Question 9: Compare the approach to medicine in Medieval times with that of Ancient Greece or Rome.

Answer: Both periods relied on theories like the Four Humours and herbal remedies. However, Ancient Greek and Roman medicine was more systematic, based on observation and rational ideas, whereas Medieval medicine was heavily influenced by religious beliefs and superstition.