Medieval

a common saying among Society today. We do not stop to think of how it reflects

our outlook of Medicine in our lives. We have come to understand the value of

simple practices in order to keep ourselves healthy. This is not, however, the

case of Medieval England. Most 'medical practices' of the time were based upon

superstition, ancient texts, myth, or the direction of the church. Medical

practices of Medieval England often based upon nothing more than superstition

proved unbeneficial if not harmful to the people of England.

Part of the obvious problem was the fact that the common person had

little care or sense for improving their own health. The life and livelihood of

an average person was less than desirable even from the time of birth.

In the villages chronic inbreeding must have produced many children who

started life with a built in weakness, either mental or physical. Many would

die in childhood, but others who grew into manhood, might drag out a useless

existance, dependent on charity for their sustenance. In general, infant

mortality was extremely heavy....Once the child was free to crawl about

. . .

Lepers, cripples, and the blind were not uncommon in Medieval England. Most of the therapeutic

measures included blood letting, steam baths, amulets, spells, hexes, prayers,

the king's touch, and polypharmacy known as theriaca. "Two twelfth-century manuscripts, one early, show medical

treatment, and in both cauterizing looms large.

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**Bibliography**

. Perhaps a century or two down the historical road mankind will

be simply disgusted by the way we live. In regard to the malign or beneficent influence. "The concern of Christian theology, on

the other hand, was to cure the soul rather than the body; disease usually was

considered supernatural in origin and cured by religious means. It was here

that the medieval superstition reigned supreme. The second manuscript shows

cauterizing for trouble in the head and in the stomach-a painful remedy!"

(Tokeieff 120).

Common topics in this essay:
Monks Monasteries, Medieval England, Hospitals Provision, England Cripples, medieval england, tokeieff 120, people england, carried title, based superstition,

Approximate Word count = 819
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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