Hospital care in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can evaluate the extent of change in hospital care in Britain between 1500 and 1800.
Key learning points
- Many hospitals closed as a result of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
- More general and specialist hospitals were set-up in the 17th and 18th centuries.
- After the 16th century, more medical professionals were employed in hospitals.
- Hospital treatments were often based on the Theory of the Four Humours.
- Hospital conditions became more unsanitary during the 18th century.
Keywords
Dissolution - the act or process of closing an organisation
Unsanitary - dirty or unhealthy and therefore likely to cause disease
Common misconception
Treatments in hospitals became significantly more effective as more medical staff were employed there.
Treatments in most hospitals continued to be based on the incorrect Theory of the Four Humours so unhelpful practices such as bloodletting remained common.
Teacher tip
To help pupils identify similarities and differences between medieval hospitals and those from the 16th-18th centuries, get them to complete a Venn diagram. Include things such as 'staff without medical training employed' and 'conditions often unsanitary'.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1. refers to the movement of blood around the body.
Q2.Galen incorrectly claimed that blood was made in the ...
Q3.Whose work was challenged by William Harvey's theories on blood circulation?
Q4.How many dissections were carried out by medical professors each year at Cambridge University in the late-16th century?
Q5.How did William Harvey's ideas affect the use of bloodletting as a medical treatment?
Q6.Starting with the earliest, sort the following individuals into chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What word is used to describe conditions which are dirty or unhealthy and are therefore likely to cause disease?
Q2.The number of hospitals in England as a result of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Q3.Who founded Guy's Hospital in London in 1724?
Q4.Which groups were least likely to be found staffing 18th century hospitals?
Q5.How did conditions in hospitals change during the 18th century?
Q6.Why was treatment in hospitals during the 18th century often ineffective?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Hospital care in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Hospital care in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, 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 Medicine in Britain, c1250–present unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.