Medieval medicine was based on the belief that the body contained four main fluids, called 'humors' (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile). Sickness meant these humors were unbalanced, often treated by bloodletting to restore harmony. Explore these strange beliefs from the Middle Ages!
If you ever get a tummy ache or a scraped knee, you probably go to a doctor who uses cool gadgets and science, right? But what if the best doctor you could find tried to cure you by… letting leeches suck your blood?
Welcome to the wild and sometimes wacky world of medieval medicine! For kids learning about the Middle Ages (roughly the years 500 to 1500 AD), it’s one of the most fascinating parts. Back then, people didn't have all the science we have today. Illnesses were often a mystery, blamed on everything from bad air to angry spirits. Their cures ranged from using simple herbs to performing surprisingly daring surgeries! We’re going to explore the strange beliefs and the clever attempts they made to stay healthy for kids learning history.
Mira says:
"Wow, Finn! They thought sickness was caused by having too much 'black bile'? That sounds like a recipe for a very grumpy day, not a cure! I’m glad we have science to help us sort out our insides now."
What Was the Big Idea Behind Medieval Sickness?
The most famous idea in medieval medicine came from super-old Greek thinkers like Hippocrates and Galen. They believed your body was made up of four main fluids, called 'humors.'
These four humors were: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. The big secret to staying healthy was keeping all four of these in the perfect balance! If you were feeling sick, it meant your humors were all mixed up.
Each humor was linked to an element: Blood was like Air, Phlegm like Water, Yellow Bile like Fire, and Black Bile like Earth. If you were super energetic and hot-tempered, maybe you had too much Yellow Bile! Doctors tried hard to figure out which humor was out of whack to fix the problem.
Mind-Blowing Fact!
Sometimes, medieval people thought sickness was caused by the stars and planets! Doctors would check the position of the moon and planets to decide the best time to give someone a treatment, like bleeding.
The Weirdest Ways They Tried to Heal You!
When a medieval person felt sick, they might get a treatment that sounds scary today. One of the most common cures for almost anything was bloodletting.
This meant letting out some of their blood using leeches (those little blood-sucking worms!) or by making a small cut with a knife. They believed getting rid of extra blood would bring the humors back into balance.
Other popular methods included making the sick person sweat a lot or using herbs to make them throw up (purging). They also believed diet was super important, and they loved using tons of different herbs for nearly every ache and pain.
Blood, Phlegm, Yellow Bile, Black Bile
For the most serious type of Plague
Was sometimes under this for many in Italy during the 14th century
How Did Medieval Surgeons Get Anything Done Without Painkillers?
While doctors focused on humors, the barber-surgeons handled the tough stuff, like setting broken bones or treating battlefield wounds! It was a tough job, and they often learned by doing.
Barbers were the go-to people for pulling teeth or even fixing wounds. Doctors and barber-surgeons did know how to use things like opium or plant roots (like mandrake) to help ease the pain or put someone to sleep for a very scary operation.
Cool Things They Did With Herbs and Wounds
Monks in monasteries were super important! They grew huge herb gardens to study plants. Some of the herbs they used, like licorice for coughs, are still used today!
For cleaning nasty wounds, they didn't have modern soap. Instead, they often washed the wound with wine or used ointments. They learned that wine could help stop germs from growing!
💡 Did You Know?
Some brave—or maybe desperate—medieval surgeons even practiced something called trepanning, which meant carefully drilling a small hole in a person's skull! They hoped this would let out bad spirits or release pressure that caused headaches or madness.
🎯 Quick Quiz!
If a medieval doctor thought you were too angry or stressed, what was one of the most common treatments they might use to 'balance' you?
Who Cared for People When Doctors Were Too Expensive?
You couldn't just visit a doctor when you sneezed—they were very expensive and mostly found in big cities! So, who helped everyone else?
Most regular people went to the local wise woman or herbalist. These women knew a lot about plants and natural remedies passed down through families.
Monasteries and convents also opened hospitals. Monks and nuns believed caring for the sick was a religious duty. They were often cleaner than other places and provided care for the sick and the dying, though they often turned away people with very contagious diseases.
- Priests: People often prayed to specific saints they believed could heal them.
- Apothecaries: These were like the first pharmacists, separating the job of mixing medicine from the doctor who prescribed it.
- Midwives: They were the experts for women during childbirth and for treating common childhood sicknesses.
- Barber-Surgeons: The handy professionals who could cut hair, pull teeth, and even remove arrowheads after a battle.
Even though medieval medicine seems wild and sometimes dangerous compared to today’s science, remember this: it was the best they had! They were trying their hardest with the knowledge available, and their work with herbs and early surgical skills laid tiny groundwork for the amazing medical advances we enjoy today for kids and everyone else!
Questions Kids Ask About Medieval History
Keep Exploring the Past!
From weird potions to brave surgeries, medieval medicine history shows us just how much people have learned over the centuries. We hope you enjoyed this journey into the past, and next time you feel a little sick, be thankful for modern science! Don't forget to check out our other episodes to keep your history knowledge growing!
