| Factor | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Galen's Influence | His books were THE medical textbooks for 1,400 years. Questioning him was considered heresy. |
| Church Control | Church ran universities and hospitals. Said Galen's work fitted with God's design — so it must be right. |
| No Dissection | Church banned cutting up human bodies. Galen had used animals (often wrong about human anatomy). |
| Why Believed? | The Four Humours SEEMED logical. Doctors saw blood, phlegm, vomit. Bleeding DID make some patients feel different. |
This key facts covers Key Evidence within Medieval Ideas about Disease for GCSE History. Revise Medieval Ideas about Disease in Medicine Through Time for GCSE History with 8 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 5 of 15 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Medieval Ideas about Disease
According to the Four Humours theory, what caused illness?
Why did Galen often make mistakes about human anatomy?
Quick recall flashcards
What was miasma?
The belief that disease was caused by "bad air" or smells from rotting matter
What was uroscopy?
Examining a patient's urine — its colour, smell, clarity, and taste — to diagnose disease. A standard medieval diagnostic technique based on humour theory.