Medicine In The Middle Ages

Medicine in the Middle Ages

Middle Ages Medicine was extremely basic in an era when terrible illnesses such as the Black Death were killing nearly one third of the population. Medicine waslimited. Physicians had no idea what caused the terrible illnesses and diseases. The Catholic Church believed that illnesses were a punishment from God for sinful behaviour. Letting blood was conducted bycupping or leeches. There were no Antibiotics during the Middle Ages and it was almost impossible to cure illness and diseases without them.  Medicines in the Middle Ages were made from herbs, spicesand resins. The medicine was applied in drinks, pills, washes, baths, rubs, poultices, purges and ointments. The Medicine used to treat some specific illnesses are described below.
Middle Ages Medicineto treat the Black Death

The Black Death held a massive mortality rate of between 30 and 40%. Victims had no idea what had caused the disease. And neither did the doctors in the Middle Ages. TheBlack Death was treated by lancing the buboes and applying a warm poultice of butter, onion and garlic. Various other remedies were tried including arsenic, lily root and even dried toad. During alater outbreak of this terrible plague, during the Elizabethan era, substances such as tobacco brought from the New World were also used in experiments to treat the disease.

Medieval Medicine to treatHeadache and Aching joints
Head Pains were treated with sweet-smelling herbs such as rose, lavender, sage, and bay. A mixture of henbane and hemlock were applied to aching joints. Coriander was usedto reduce a fever.

Middle Ages Medicine to treat Stomach Pains and Sickness
Stomach pains and sickness were treated with wormwood, mint, and balm.

Middle Ages Medicine to treat Lung ProblemsLung problems were given the medical treatment of a medicine made of liquorice and comfrey. Horehound cough syrups and drinks were prescribed for chesty and head-colds and coughs.

Middle Ages...