Andrew Wear Remedies

We find that the “oldest written sources of western medicine are The Hippocratic writings from the 5th and 4th centuries BC; which covers all aspects of medicine at that time and contain numerous medical terms.”(Wulff) This was the beginning of the Greek era of the language of medicine, which lasted even after the Roman

The medicinal practices and problems of the Elizabethan Era were very important to the people, although they are very different from those of today. There were many different beliefs and diseases, like the Plague. Medicine was not an exact science and was related to Alchemy (Chemistry). Here, some of the many practices and beliefs of the Elizabethan Era will be discussed.

The logic and principles of medieval medicine shaped those of Modern medicine. Never was there a more efficient method perfected, so much that it remained through history through so many hundreds of years. Today’s concepts of diagnosis, relationships with the church, anatomy, surgery, hospitals and training, and public health were established in the Middle Ages.

Medieval medicine was rooted in Ancient Greek practices. In 65 A.D., a Greek writer, Discorides, wrote a book, Material Medica. The book is about medical use of over five-hundred different plants. The book is translated into Hebrew and Arabic. Doctors in the Early Modern Era knew very little, and they used plants as the most important care and/or treatment. Due to unsanitary places and tools, many different diseases spread around Europe. Life was challenging during the Early Modern Era because of many diseases(Alchin). During the 1500s- 1600s, diseases overtook many people because doctors knew little, medicine was unknown, and there were many causes.

They were highly valued by the wealthy people. They were used as medicine as well when someone was sick or when the bubonic plague was happening.

During the Middle Ages, medical knowledge was severely limited. People did not understand things like germs and how diseases are spread from person to person. To the Medieval man,

Before the 18th century, medicine had not advanced beyond the practices of bloodletting and balancing the four humors of the body. These medical practices were not effective and did more harm than good. It was not until the Scientific Revolution that physicians slowly started to learn more about the human body and how functions. The numerous advancements of medicine in the 18th century and resulting benefits to European Society are reflected in the lack of medical practices before the 1700s, the creation of the smallpox vaccine, and improved techniques.

During the Medieval era there were many diseases. Because of the lack of hygiene in the medieval times, diseases would spread like a wildfire. Just to name a few common diseases that happened in this time, there was the Black Death, leprosy, measles, and typhoid fever. These were most likely transported because of dirty bedsheets and blankets, unwashed clothing, and rodents. The treatments for these diseases and other things, such as medicine for stomach pains, medicine for wounds, and medicine for headaches, are different from today’s standards.

Hippocrates, a physician of Greece believed in scientific reasoning and the power of natural healing his belief continued until the 19th century (2300 years). During the second century Galan, another Greek physician was the first to promote the key to healing and soon every health problem were fit into a classification (as it is today). His ways were strict and only doctors had access to the healing knowledge. During the dark ages natural healing was embraced once more. The Arabs brought alchemy and pharmacy into Western medicine. They introduced new ointments elixirs, pills, suppositories, carcinogenics, and inhalations to the masses in the 12th century herbal pharmacies were common in every neighborhood. In the 16th century Paracelsus taught that alchemy and chemistry were a way to unlock the secrets of nature. Both the alchemist of his day, and the chemists of our day, adhere to the beliefs

The Black Death ushered in a need for practical medicine. Understanding the cycle of germs, the need of controlling human contact, and the lessons of sanitation and proper handling of disease and materials would prove valuable lessons of the plague. Guy De Chauliac, the

During the Black Death, not all their details were understood; the doctors didn’t understand the cause of the plague or how to treat the disease. They overlooked important things like cleanliness, hygiene and treatments. Many patients who were

The ways of the old didn’t just go away with time, today many of the same remedies can be used such as mint for stomach pain, lavender for headaches, and vinegar for wounds. In this era, doctors were expensive and only called in the most extreme of cases such as the black plague or bubonic plague. The motto of an Elizabethan was to primarily do with what you have, by treating herbs with care and treating the wounded they passed down tools for medical advancements centuries to come. (“Elizabethan Medicine and

This semester we discussed many things within the human body. We learned about many different systems of the body, such as the muscular system, urinary system, lymphatic system, cardiovascular system, nervous system, and the reproductive system. When studying all of these systems, we would look into different diseases or illnesses that could affect each system. Different illnesses affect different parts of our body in many ways and can be life threatening in many situations. In Fever 1798 I read how the fever affected their bodies, their ways for treatment, how they reacted, and more.

Another route was seeking out doctors and the remedies they offered from what little ingredients patients could find and afford. However, as most medicines were either actually harmful (see: drinking urine, severing venae cavae) or well-intentioned but not correctly administered (drinking horseradish and mustard water or millipede wine), there was a slim chance that they would offer tangible effects, save for helping minor problems like skin

An extract from the report of the University of Paris medical faculty is a primary source that can be used to see what people found the cause of the pestilence to be. The source’s audience is aimed at those living during the happening of the Black Death. Towards the end of the source it urges people to not abandon doctors, instead reassuring people that God works through the medicine provided by doctors. It was important to give God the credit but also make sure people still seek doctors for treatment. This shows that the source was intended for people living during the fourteenth century.