How medieval Europeans cured the sick

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In the history of medicine, the so-called "European medieval medicine" generally refers to the period from "after Galen to the Renaissance rise of human anatomy". During this time, the early ancient Greece, the Roman era of the basic theories of medicine has long been declining, and did not really inherited, especially the ancient Greek herbalism and pharmacy (and ancient Egyptian transmission), as well as the Roman era of surgical treatment, basically hung up most of the medieval medicine compared to the predecessor, in fact, belongs to the degradation of the medieval medicine. And scientific theories almost came to a standstill during this time, so M. Neubugrer, a famous historian of medicine in the 20th century, once commented on this era: "This period of medicine has degenerated to the age of primitive medicine."

Of course, there are many reasons for this situation, including:

1, the invasion of foreigners, the cultural inheritance of the Roman era, including medical theories were problematic and difficult to develop, especially the Roman era, the teaching of medical writings was mainly concentrated in the upper class, and was not very popular to the following.

2, the idea of scripture, that prayers can be a substitute for medical treatment, this idea has continued for many years in the folklore. Therefore, the number of groups practicing specific medicine, relatively decreased.

3, the current situation is very unstable, all kinds of conflicts are common, there is not enough stable time for the people to rest and recuperate, so as to develop medical work on a large scale.

Of course here, this is not the point, and I won't go into it.

Medieval medicine is theoretically divided into four categories:

I, Byzantine medicine.

Byzantine medicine is a tributary of Greek medicine, the 5th and 8th centuries A.D. These three hundred years, Byzantium, has appeared in the medical school, hospitals and pharmacies; Byzantine medical practitioners, more than the compiler of the medical encyclopedia.

For example:

Oirbasius: He was born in Pregamon, the same place as Galen, and his theories were basically inherited from Galen, a brilliant compiler. He was the physician of A. Juilen, and edited 72 volumes of medical books.

Aetius, physician to Justeanus, was the author of the Tetra-biblion in 16 volumes, which, besides describing the symptoms of diphtheria, goitre, hydrophobia, carbuncles, and aneurysm ligation.

A Trailanus: A Trailanus: A book of clinical medicine, which proposes food, transit, and navigation remedies for tuberculosis, and treats it with rhubarb.

A. Theophielus: researched the mechanism of urine production and was the first to examine urine sediment.

In short, Byzantine medicine, by means of compiling an encyclopedia, theoretically organized the medical theories of the previous generations and developed them in specific medicine. And the establishment of the medical system in its infancy and the basic education system. It also preserved the remaining "herbal monographs" in Europe.

The second, the medicine of the College of Medicine and the medicine of Salerno

South-east from Naples is Salerno. Salerno, in the late Middle Ages, was known as the "capital of Hippocrates".

Early scriptural medicine focused on what was known as "spiritual healing," or "spiritual healing," which meant confessing, praying, and having a clergyman perform rituals in the church's sanctuary, giving you a few words, or even holy oil or a few drops of holy water, or taking a piece of holy water, or a few drops of holy water. A few drops of holy water, or a shovelful of dirt to apply.

But the monks still have some specific medical treatments, especially for simple surgical wounds. Of course, the folk were also doing these things, such as the famous "Dr. Beak," who, after seeing the "snake around a cane" sign on the door sign, knocked on the door and entered, and was met by a blackened bird man - black hat, black clothes, black man - with a black hat, black clothes, black clothes, black clothes, black clothes, black clothes, black clothes, black people. -Black hat, black clothes, black cloak, and a long beak mask. This was the standard dress for a folk doctor in medieval Europe, and the beak was sifted with "cotton and various spices such as lavender and mint".

The so-called "treatments" were two popular medical treatments:

"urine diagnosis" and "bloodletting.

The "urinalysis" of that era and now is not a concept, generally speaking, take a urine bottle, containing the patient's urine, held up in the sunlight, by observing the color, concentration and odor of the urine, and at most dipped into the urine and licked, and then diagnosed according to the theory of "fluid balance".

Then "bloodletting therapy" is also based on the theory of "fluid balance". All diseases are "fluid imbalance", so to regulate the "fluid ratio", it is dealt with by bloodletting. This kind of blood-letting therapy is not simply cutting open the blood vessels and that's it. Instead, depending on the patient's age, symptoms, season, climate, and location, it is necessary to decide how much blood is to be let out, from what part of the body, and the way of letting out blood - whether to cut open the blood vessels with a knife, or to take leeches to suck out the blood. Of course, the most ridiculous thing is that some folk doctors also have to be involved with astrology to see how the stars are today. Whether it is appropriate to cut breast blood vessels bloodletting and so on.

In fact, this era of doctors have two more tricks: vomiting and enema. But these two tricks are more special, retained for a particularly long time, has been retained until the end of the Middle Ages, and even after the Renaissance, and even until the mid-17th century there are people playing this.

Generally, it's borrowing from surviving herbal texts from earlier or Roman times to treat the anus by dousing it with medicinal broth.

Emetic, too, is a medicinal broth that utilizes knowledge of early herbalism, along with lots of different kinds of spices to be proportioned, just to make you vomit.

Of course, there were also branding irons to cauterize the skin, water to wash the wounds ah so on.

But then the ideology of the Sutra was that medicine could only heal the body, not the mind, and so the medical stuff was devolved to the people. This was the occasion for the establishment of the Salreno School. Definitely since the middle of the 9th century, Salerno has become a famous medical school in Europe.

Here was the beginning of the institutionalization of medicine in Europe, establishing the later classification of the Western medical system and the beginnings of medical school education. There were also many achievements that opened the way to institutionalized medical research:

For example, Benvenotus Grassus' Praotica Oculor um, or Arsprobatiesima Oeulorum

Trotlua's On the Discussion of Ophthalmology

Trotlua's On the Discussion of Ophthalmology

What was the most important work in the history of medicine in Europe was his book An Introduction to the Medical Sciences. (Trotlua's D "Passionibus mulierum (On Female Diseases)

Three, Arab medicine.

Arabic medicine was very advanced in the 8th to 12th centuries AD. Its trade position in the middle of the "main continent" also predetermined the convenience of its absorption of Eastern and Western cultures. And Arab medicine, long-term influence on the medical theory of Europe for hundreds of years. This is also to talk about the Middle Ages to mention the reasons of Arab medicine.

For example, Rhazes (Rhazes) by the "universal medical dictionary" is a medical encyclopedia, affecting Europe for many years. His masterpiece, The Identification of Smallpox and Measles. He was also the earliest user of "mercury preparations", laying down the prototype of the mercury preparations of "herbs + spices + mercury", which were often used in the Middle Ages.

Avieenna (Avieenna) of the Canon of Medicine. The Canon includes elements of anatomy, pathology, physiology, healing

therapeutics, pharmacy, hygiene, and dietary nutrition.

In the chapters on fever, plague, smallpox, and measles, he introduced the concept of "pathogens", which spread through soil and drinking water.

In the section on anatomy and physiology, he discusses the role of the brain and nerves;

In the section on diet and nutrition, he emphasizes the relationship between age and diet. There are also studies on daily hygiene, such as housing and clothing.

In surgical treatment, he also describes operations for the removal of bladder stones and tracheotomy, as well as the treatment of wounds and traumas, suggesting the use of wine for wounds.

In short, Arab medicine of this era was a direct guide to the development of medicine in Europe in the middle and late Middle Ages.

Fourth, the stimulus of the need for war.

Long-term instability is prone to lead to war, war leads to a large number of wounded, then at this time, the demand for surgical medicine will become greater. Therefore, the development of war, has been stimulating the civilian doctors for the "wound" research.

The earliest Italian surgeon Vigor proposed a method of wound treatment, which is to burn the wound with a red-hot iron or pour boiling oil, in order to stop bleeding and prevent pus. The method was tantamount to torture, but was used for many years because there was no other way.

Guy de Chauliac was a key figure in the history of surgery. The "Grandes Chirurgiques" is his book. In it, discussions and treatments are presented for a large number of surgical diseases, the variety and its richness.

And he established a class of anesthesia for surgical operations, using opium, hyoscyamine, mandrake root, ivy and hemlock to make a medicinal liquid, with a new sponge immersed in these liquids, dried in the sun and ready for use, when the surgeon needs to use, can be put into warm water, and then placed under the patient's nostrils until the patient falls asleep, and then operated on. Until the patient goes to sleep before performing the operation.

The method of "resuscitation" is to place a sponge soaked in vinegar under the patient's nostrils, or to drop rue or fennel juice into the patient's ear.

Modern medicine, of course, questions the viability of its methods.

Of course the real development of surgery came after the Middle Ages were finished.

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