Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
Prevention of Disease in Medieval England (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Disease Prevention in Medieval Britain - Summary
There was very little people could do to prevent illness in medieval Britain. The Church’s power blocked progress of scientific and logical methods of prevention. Monks were one of the few literate groups in medieval times. They produced handwritten copies of books for distribution. This meant there was no way to publish books which went against the teachings of the Church. There was also no motivation within the general population for answers. Many were happy to follow Galen's explanations or accept that their fate lay within God’s hands. Those who attempted to prevent illness used the same natural and supernatural ideas that justified the cause of disease and treatment. |
Natural Prevention
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 today still prescribe some of the advice contained in the book, 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
Diet
The Theory of the Four Humours linked to good health to digestion
Physicians discouraged overeating
Many medieval kings died from conditions like dysentery, caused by overly rich diets
People believed dysentery indicated living an immoral lifestyle of over-indulgence
King John died of dysentery in 1216
The 13th-century monk and historian Matthew Paris stated:
"Foul as it is, Hell itself is made fouler by the presence of John"
Many people decided purging, through laxatives or vomiting, was a good way to prevent illness from happening
Purifying the Air
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
Supernatural Prevention
People believed that the Church provided the most important method of medieval prevention through:
Regular prayer
Confession
Leading a morally good life
By completing these actions, Medieval people attempted to avoid becoming ill
Exam Tip
Do not worry about how little there is to say about medieval prevention. The fact that there were very few ways to prevent illnesses in this time period shows a lack of understanding of disease. Many accepted that God was punishing them with illness
Remembering this will be important in 4-mark comparison questions. You can write just how much prevention has improved over time.
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