Medieval approaches to treating and preventing disease
I can evaluate the effectiveness of medieval approaches to the treatment and prevention of disease.
Medieval approaches to treating and preventing disease
I can evaluate the effectiveness of medieval approaches to the treatment and prevention of disease.
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Lesson details
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.
To help you plan your year 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 year 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.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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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.
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- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
- Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
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Adult supervision required
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Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
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