Disease in the Middle Ages

The Black Plague Lasted from

about 1347 to 1350

Approximately 1million people died…

1/3 of European population

Some towns – 90%

The Black Plague Bodies collected and

burned in bonfires “ring around the

rosie”– the pock-like wounds

“pocket full of posies”– Plague doctors

believed flowers could cleanse the air, so carried flowers with them

“Ashes, ashes”– Reference to the

bonfires “We all fall down”

– Plague killed almost everyone.

The Black Plague

Believed it was a punishment from God - Expected the start of Armageddon

The Black Plague•Bubonic

• Dark patches, hemorrhaging, headaches, vomiting

• Tongue turned black• Swollen lymph glands• Madness and death

within 4 days when fatal•Pneumonic- worse.

• The victim spit up blood and died within 3 days.

•Treatments- • Blood letting, prayer,

herbs, flowers, superstitious remedies

The Black Plague

The Black Plague

Impact of plagues on Society economic failure

– Prices rose – laborers demanding higher wages

Villains demanded freedom– criminals released to help dispose of bodies.

The bodies were thrown into mass graves or burned. – number of deaths prevented proper burial rites

Helped bring about end of feudalism– Decrease in population allowed people to market their

skills to different towns

Medieval Medicine Medicine was

affiliated with astrology. The position of the stars decided when a person could be cured

Physicians were rare.– Most people went to

sorcerers.– The apothecary was

the druggist – monks moonlighted

as doctors.

Medieval MedicinePlague doctors

– Diagnosed the disease– a beak full of herbs– Heavy, wax lined clothes

Diagnosis – urine analysis– outward appearances

Medieval MedicineThe Barber/surgeon minor surgery giving enemas extracting teeth.

BloodlettingDoctors bled patients for

every ailment imaginable. – Pneumonia and fevers– Back pain and rheumatism– Headaches and melancholia– Bone fractures and other wounds.

open a vein with a small knife called a lancet. – Collect the blood

in measuring bowls

The Four Humors

BLOOD YELLOW BILE PHLEGM BLACK BILEAir Fire Water Earthhot and moist hot and dry cold and moist cold and drySANGUINE CHOLERIC PHLEGMATIC MELANCHOLIC

(amorous, happy, generous) (violent, vengeful)

(dull, pale, cowardly)

(gluttonous, lazy, sentimental)

One’s state of health -mind and body- was dependent on a balance of the four

bodily fluids