Study of medical practices used in Europe from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance.
Medical beliefs and practices in the early Middle Ages: An overview of the medical knowledge and techniques used in the early Middle Ages, including the Galenic tradition, medical astrology, and the use of medical herbs.
The role of the Church in medicine: How the Church shaped medical practices in the Middle Ages, including the establishment of hospitals and the training of physicians and surgeons.
The Black Death: An examination of the medieval epidemic that killed millions, including its origin, spread, and impact on medicine and society.
Medical schools and universities: The emergence of formal medical education in the late Middle Ages, including the establishment of medical schools and universities.
Surgery: A description of the surgical techniques used in the Middle Ages, including bloodletting, amputation, and trepanation.
Medical innovations: An overview of some of the most significant medical innovations of the Middle Ages, including the use of anesthetics, wound care techniques, and the development of new surgical instruments.
Medical remedies and treatments: A survey of the various remedies and treatments used in the Middle Ages, including leeching, purging, and the use of charms and amulets.
The physician-patient relationship: An exploration of the ways in which medieval physicians interacted with their patients and how the concept of the doctor-patient relationship evolved over time.
Women and medicine: A look at the role women played in medieval medicine, including their contributions to the field as midwives and healers.
Medical manuscripts and texts: An examination of the written sources that provide insights into medieval medical practices and beliefs, including the Arab medical works translated into Latin.
Medical ethics: The ethical considerations that arose in the practice of medicine during the Middle Ages, including issues such as confidentiality, informed consent, and medical malpractice.
Health and disease in medieval society: A discussion of the ways in which health and disease were viewed by medieval society as a whole, including attitudes towards illness, the role of the physician, and the perception of disease as a punishment from God.
Galenic medicine: Based on the ideas of physician Galen, this type of medicine relied on the four humors theory, where illness came about from an imbalance of bodily fluids.
Humoral medicine: Similar to Galenic medicine, humoral medicine emphasized the need to balance the four humors of the body: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile.
Herbal medicine: This type of medicine relied on the use of plants and herbs for medicinal purposes. It was often combined with other medical practices.
Bloodletting: The practice of using a lancet or leeches to remove blood from the body. It was believed that this would balance the humors and restore health.
Astrological medicine: This type of medicine used astrological charts and the movements of the planets to diagnose and treat illness.
Surgery: Surgeons during the Middle Ages performed procedures ranging from bloodletting to amputations. Many surgical procedures were performed without anesthesia or antiseptics.
Alchemy: Alchemists attempted to turn base metals into gold but also sought to develop remedies for illness. They often combined mystical and magical practices with the use of herbs and minerals.
Homeopathy: This type of medicine advocated the use of small doses of natural remedies to stimulate the body's natural healing processes.
Empiricism: This type of medicine relied on observation and experimentation to develop medicinal remedies and treat illness.
Astrology medicine: It is a type of medical history that believes a person's health is influenced by the movement of the celestial bodies in the sky.
Medieval surgery: It is known for bone setting, trepanation, stitching and etc.
Religious medicine: During the Middle Ages, religious beliefs heavily influenced medical practices. Religious figures such as monks played a role in developing medical remedies and treatments.
Magical medicine: For a long time, people believed that illnesses and diseases were mystical or magical in origin. In such cases, magical cures were used to cure patients.