Glencoe World History © 2010

Health in the Middle Ages

Introduction
During the Middle Ages Europeans lived in harsh conditions and confronted many health problems. In this activity, students will focus on health and medicine in medieval Europe. The treatments and remedies for health conditions in medieval Europe were mostly ineffective and sometimes dangerous. By learning more about health and medicine in medieval Europe, students can gain an understanding of what life was like during those times.

Destination Title: The Middle Ages: Health

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Directions

• Read the information on the Web site.
• Click on "Read More About Health."
• Click "Back to Health"
• Click on "Medieval M.D." and answer the question.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			In medieval health what were the four humors and to what four elements were they linked?
2			What was the most common form of surgery during the Middle Ages? What was its purpose?
3			What treatment did medieval doctors prescribe for the plague?
4			According to medieval doctors what did too much black bile cause?
5			List five medieval remedies, treatments, or diagnostic tools. Which of these, if any, do doctors still use today?