I'm sure somebody out there could write a very longgggggg, dry, technical manual to Medieval medical history and I'm sure it would be very helpful! But unless you're a college student, professor, or someone in the field, I don't see that book being very enjoyable. It just FELT like it would have the answers to some questions I've always wondered about concerning medical/health problems of the past. The moment I saw this book I knew I had to read it. I have always been a huge fan of history, with medical history being one of my favorite sub-genre's to read about. But perhaps this was purposeful as many in those times died prematurely.Ī BIG thank you to Pen & Sword for granting my "wish" and allowing me to read this book on NetGalley! I would have liked some pictures and diagrams and I found the end a bit abrupt. This is an excellent primer that I most enjoyed (for lack of a better word). a bunch of other topics that are just not coming to mind nowĪs you can tell there is huge breadth in this book and an extensive bibliography to further your knowledge in any particular topics that a reader finds interesting. the role of war in premature deaths and injuries for men types of executions and the beginnings of torture methods types of surgeries done without anesthetics the rise of hospitals, almshouses and guesthouses the role of physicians, surgeons, barbers, midwives, herbalists and apothecaries huge differences in health status between the nobility and peasants childhood illness and only a quarter of children living to past ten years of age poor knowledge of birthing practices that led to huge numbers of maternal deaths discussion of illnesses such as the bubonic plague, syphyllis, leprosy, dysentery and attempts at treatments lack of understanding of how poor hygiene, filth and close quarters lead to epidemics and poor health idea of the imbalance of the four humors as the major cause of ill health role of Greek and Middle Eastern philosophy and practice of health and medicine The author writes in an easy to follow, conversational and well organized fashion and she keeps the reader both engrossed (as well as grossed out) and involved as she explores many aspects of this very broad topic.įrom my memory here is a list of some of the topics covered: The author has written a most fascinating, informative and contextual book of life during this most brutal of times. This book is a fascinating if grotesque look at the state of health, medicine, hygiene, illness and torture during the Middle Ages in primarily Western Europe. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Pen & Sword History for an e-copy of this book. Medicine in the Middle Ages is a fascinating walk through time to give us a better understanding of such a perilous part of history.Ĥ "gratitude inducing and stomach churning" stars !! Examine the horrors of the torture chamber and execution as a means of justice. We are also taken directly to the battlefield and given the gruesome details of medieval warfare and its repercussions. As well as diving into the treacherous waters of medieval childbirth, Cummings looks into the birth of hospitals and the care for the insane. Delve inside the minds of the physicians and barbersurgeons for a better understanding of how they approached healing. We are given an intimate look into the devastating time of the Black Death, along with other horrific ailments that would have easily claimed a life in the Middle Ages. Understand how your social status would have affected medical care, and how the domination of the Catholic Church was the basis of an abundant amount of fear regarding life and death. Dive in to the history of medieval medicine, and learn how the foundations of healing were built on the knowledge of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers. It was a time when cures for sickness were often worse than the illness itself mixed with a population of people who lacked any real understanding of sanitation and cleanliness. The Middle Ages covers a span of roughly one thousand years, and through that time people were subject to an array of not only deadly diseases but deplorable living conditions.
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