Question 1: Describe the main beliefs about the causes of illness in Medieval Britain. How did these beliefs influence medical treatments?

Answer: Medieval people believed illnesses were caused by supernatural forces such as evil spirits, God's punishment, or astrological factors. These beliefs led to treatments like prayer, charms, and astrology, rather than scientific methods.

Question 2: Identify and explain two common treatments used in Medieval medicine. Consider their purpose and how they were believed to work.

Answer: One common treatment was bloodletting, believed to balance the body's humours. Another was herbal remedies, used to cure or alleviate symptoms based on traditional knowledge.

Question 3: Discuss the role of the Church in Medieval medicine. How did religious beliefs impact medical practices?

Answer: The Church influenced medicine by promoting the idea that illness was God's punishment. Medical care often involved prayer and religious rituals, and monasteries became centers for herbal healing and care.

Question 4: Explain the concept of the Four Humours and how it influenced treatment methods in Medieval times.

Answer: The Four Humours theory stated that health depended on balancing blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. Treatments aimed to restore balance, often through bloodletting or purging.

Question 5: Describe the typical training and role of a Medieval barber-surgeon. What treatments might they perform?

Answer: Barber-surgeons were trained craftsmen who performed bloodletting, leeching, tooth extraction, and minor surgeries. Their skills were often learned through apprenticeship, and they combined barbering with surgical procedures.

Question 6: Sketch a simple diagram of a Medieval medicinal garden. Include at least three different herbs or plants used for healing.

Answer: A correct sketch would show a garden with designated plots for herbs such as rosemary, sage, and thyme, with labels and a simple layout. The sketch should reflect the idea of a medicinal herb garden.

Question 7: Evaluate the effectiveness of Medieval medical treatments based on modern scientific knowledge. What were some limitations?

Answer: Many treatments were ineffective because they were based on incorrect theories like the Four Humours. Limitations included lack of understanding of germs, hygiene, and the causes of disease, leading to high mortality rates.

Question 8: Explain how ideas from Ancient Greece and Rome influenced Medieval medicine. Provide one example.

Answer: Medieval medicine was heavily influenced by Ancient Greek and Roman ideas, such as the theory of the Four Humours originating from Hippocrates. These ideas persisted through the medieval period.

Question 9: Identify one famous medieval medical text or figure and describe their contribution to medicine.

Answer: One example is Avicenna, a Muslim doctor whose book 'The Canon of Medicine' summarized medical knowledge and influenced medieval European medicine.

Question 10: Imagine you are a healer in a Medieval village. Write a short paragraph explaining how you would diagnose and treat a patient with a fever.

Answer: A typical response might describe examining the patient for signs, using prayer or charms if illness was seen as supernatural, and applying herbal remedies or bloodletting based on humoral theory.