How Much Did Medicine and Treatment Progress (Change and Continuity) Between 1350 and 1750?

In 18th century America, medicine was in a transition mode. While some pre-modern practices were still around, the 18th century saw the beginnings of a new modern medical practice. Replacing the passed down wisdom from the ancient world was clinical observation, the first American medical school, and experimental science, along with many physicians beginning to replace midwives. During the 18th century, a transition from pre-modern practices and theories to modern medical practice occurred because of medical education and the growth of hospitals, advances in medical procedures, and different types of medical practitioners.

The Greeks went even further, introducing the concepts of medical diagnosis, prognosis, and advanced medical ethics. The Hippocratic Oath, still taken by doctors up to today, was written in Greece in the 5th century BCE. The germ theory of disease in the 19th century led to cures for many infectious diseases. Public health measures were developed especially in the 19th century as the rapid growth of cities required systematic sanitary measures. Advanced research centers opened in the early 20th century, mid-20th century was characterized by new biological treatments, such as antibiotics. These advancements, along with developments in chemistry, genetics, and lab technology led to modern medicine. Medicine was heavily professionalized in the 20th century, and new careers opened to women as nurses and as physicians. The 21st century is characterized by highly advanced research involving numerous fields of science.

A mystery still remains pertaining to the medicine and healing practices during the Roman Empire, but one can gain a great deal of insight by studying the pieces of history that were left behind. Whether it is tools, medicinal materials and buildings, bones, or even writings, there is much that can be learned from the times of the Roman Empire. Many people during the Roman Empire believed that disease or illness could be a result of a curse from the gods and that they are ill because of wrongdoing. Christians during this time witnessed Jesus healing diseases and illnesses that doctors could not. As for these so-called doctors, there was no formal qualification, and if they were wealthy enough or knew individuals that were rich, a small amount of training may have been possible; even then,

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

Although the Christian church was very involved with public health, it wasn’t the only church embracing science. In fact, medicine and public

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.

Why did the discoveries of the Renaissance make little practical difference to medical treatment between c1500-c1700?

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.

The Church did not encourage the development of new medical ideas, it was not in their interest. When Roger Bacon (a thirteenth century priest) he suggested that a new approach to medicine was needed he said that doctors should their own original research instead of learning from the books of ancient writers such as Galen.

Before logical thought was regularly applied to functions of the human body, people made sense of daily misfortunes by attributing them to the moods and wills of the gods. In the minds of the Greek, afflictions were the result of disobedience and to live in good health was a blessing that only divine intervention could provide (History of Medicine 1). Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing, was often the one called upon in times of need. Asclepian temples were constructed in Greece and in the surrounding areas, and these sites of worship also became the centers of healing; Ill Grecians undertook lengthy pilgrimages to the temples in hopes that the God’s supposed restorative powers could ameliorate their tribulations (Greek Medicine 1). An orator at that time, Aeschines reported his encounter with godly healing by praising Asclepius: “No longer counting upon mortal skill, I placed all my hope in divinity. I came, Asclepius, into your sacred wood and I was cured in three of a wound I had in my head for a year” (Palatine Anthology 13). When cures were not left up to the divine, the rituals to rid a body of disease were primitive and mainly consisted of attempts to expel demons (Longrigg 14-16). Although the idea that sickness and religion are intertwined is

Public baths and sewers both contributed to medical progress due to the fact that these helped

The effect of superstition on their mental attitudes, and problem solving abilities were positive. Additionally, both culturally provided explanations for birth, death, and disease. Furthermore, they both believed that sicknesses were the result of witchcraft, demons or the will of the gods. These beliefs typically occurred as a response to a situation in which they had little or no control over the outcome, and it is shown that superstition can help an individual deal better with adverse circumstances. However, many superstitious beliefs have a basis in practicality and logic, which resulted in the infusion of medicine and superstition, and the downgrading of physicians to a status below that of a priest. Additionally, in both cultures superstition thrived, and both cultures look at the priest healing with the help of prayer, incarnation, bathing, rest and nutrition and an impressive array of animal, vegetable, and mineral substance all designed to appease the gods and alleviate human suffering. Medicine in both cultures was clearly becoming a specialized and full-time profession (Anderson, 2007, p.

Many ancient civilizations, such as the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians, pushed medical knowledge forward until the Middle Ages, when medical knowledge was believed to have slowed down. However, that is not the case. The Middle Ages were a time of change and improvement, they shaped the modern world. The Middle Ages revolutionized medical practices, physicians linked filth to the spread of disease, many practical diagnoses and treatments for common illnesses were discovered, and medical training programs in universities became well established.

Cities throughout the Mediterranean greatly influenced each other during the ancient times, as they traded art, food, traditions, and even medicines. Before the Romans began using medicines to treat ailments, there was a common belief throughout the Mediterranean that diseases were caused by either angered gods or evil demons. People did not change this mindset until the Greek physician, Hippocrates, suggested that this was not the case, and that in fact, nature was the origin of diseases. He reasoned that there were agents in the air that people breathed in that produced diseases, and he called these things “miasmata”, meaning bad air. This simple theory from Hippocrates changed the landscape of medicine during that time. People began to see that their superstitions were not correct. Hippocrates theory also led to a shift in thinking towards taking scientific approaches to advance

In modern medicine when an ailment arises it can be quickly diagnosed, attributed to a precise bacteria, virus, or body system, and treated with medication, surgery or therapy. During the time before rational medical thought, this streamlined system of treatment was unheard of, and all complaints were attributed to the will of the multitude of commonly worshiped Greek gods (Greek Medicine 1). It was during the period of Greek rationalism that a perceptible change in thought was manifested in the attitudes towards treating disease. Ancient Greece is often