Natural Causes of Disease in Medieval England (AQA GCSE History)

Why was nature so important to the understanding of disease in Medieval times? -Summary

In Medieval times, people believed that there were natural causes and cures for diseases. One major idea was the Theory of the Four Humours. This theory connected health directly to the natural balance inside a person’s body. A way that a physician could naturally attempt to diagnose and treat this was through a patient's urine.

Another way nature was thought to cause disease was through miasma, which was the idea that bad air could make people sick. People believed that this bad air carried disease and tried to avoid it by pleasant smells such as burning herbs or carrying sweet-smelling flowers. This belief in miasma showed how much importance Medieval people placed on the environment and nature when trying to understand illnesses. Since there was no knowledge of germs, people looked to nature for explanations and cures. This shaped the way they approached medicine for centuries.

Miasma

• Miasma is bad air

• People believed that miasma was found near swamps, corpses and rotting objects

• If you breathed in miasma, people believed that you would become ill

• To counteract miasma, people used:

  • Herbs such as lavender

  • Flowers such as posies

• A pomander (a locket worn around the waist) was worn with similar sweet smells for protection

• Local authorities disposed of rotten bodies by removing them from the streets

Examining urine

• Physicians believed in examining the urine of their patients 

• They believed the urine indicated which humour was unbalanced

• Physicians would check the colour, consistency and smell of the urine and compare it to a urine chart

The importance of diet & hygiene

Diet

• The Theory of the Four Humours linked to good health to digestion

• Physicians discouraged overeating

• Many people decided purging was a good way to prevent illness from happening

Hygiene

• People believed it was important to look after your body

• A book called Regimen Sanitatis was published

  • Regimen Sanitatis was a loose set of instructions provided by a physician to help patients maintain a healthy life

  • Many health professionals prescribe some of the advice today including:

    • exercise

    • do not overeat

    • sleep

    • avoid stress

• However, the Regimen Sanitatis also advised to:

  • breathe eastern or northern air

  • avoid barking dogs

  • stay on good terms with neighbours