Medieval approaches to treating and preventing disease
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can evaluate the effectiveness of medieval approaches to the treatment and prevention of disease.
Key learning points
- Treatment aims at restoring good health once a person is ill and prevention focuses on avoiding illness altogether.
- Religious approaches like prayer, pilgrimages and acts of penance were all used to treat or prevent disease.
- Purging and bloodletting were believed to restore the balance between the Four Humours by removing excess liquids.
- Attempts were made to avoid bad smells to prevent miasma.
- Some effective herbal remedies were used to treat certain health conditions.
Keywords
Penance - an act that shows you are sorry for something that you have done
Bloodletting - a procedure that involves deliberately draining blood from the body
Purging - the act of getting rid of something which is considered undesirable
Common misconception
All medieval approaches to treatment and prevention were ineffective.
Some effective methods, such as the use of mint in herbal remedies, existed but the scientific reason for their health benefits was not understood.
Teacher tip
As an effective exit ticket, present pupils with a table including some explanations for disease in the first column (i.e. miasma, Four Humours, sin). Ask pupils to identify at least one form of treatment or prevention which was informed by each explanation.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Write the missing word. Things that cannot be explained by our knowledge of science or nature are described as ...
Q2.Which medical idea suggested movements of the stars and planets could cause disease?
Q3.What was the main religion in medieval Europe?
Q4.What did people believe could cause miasma?
Q5.Which medical beliefs did medieval Christians draw from the Story of Job?
Q6.What humour was believed to be in excess if an ill person was sweaty and had a high temperature?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Write the missing word. involves an act that shows you are sorry for something that you have done.
Q2.Match each of the terms with their correct description.
what people believe is responsible for causing illness
acts to restore the health of those who are ill
acts to protect people from becoming ill in the first place
Q3.Which idea influenced the use of leeches as a medical treatment?
Q4.What was claimed to have cured Petronella of Polesworth of her epilepsy?
Q5.What were the sweet smelling aromatic balls used to protect people from miasma called?
Q6.Which statement is most accurate?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Medieval approaches to treating and preventing disease, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Medieval approaches to treating and preventing disease, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Britain: Health and the people - c1000 to the present day unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.