How the Black Death Changed Medicine
Eric Speck
HIS 103: World Civilizations I
Lance Bernard
May 4, 2010
The Black Death killed millions and it changed the way people lived in Europe. It lead to developments in medicine and it also changed the way doctors practiced medicine. An epidemic such as the Black Death had a large impact on medicine during the Middle Ages. During the 14th century this horrible disease, that is called the Black Death, struck Europe and many other parts of the world. It is estimated that the Black Death killed thirty to eighty percent of populations of the heaviest hit areas. Like most tragedies, the nation impacted and sometimes the world, many changes take place after them to prevent them from happening again.
During the Middle Ages medical practice was not scientific. Most remedies or medicines were not tested and most of the time did not do what they were said to do. It seems that after the great advancements that were made during the Roman Empires reign, were all forgotten or at least over looked during the early Middle Ages. Knowledge of the human anatomy was postponed in medieval times. Books written by Galen were the teaching that was followed at the time, and if by some chance someone disagreed with Galen they were wrong not Galen. This hindered medicine and the understanding of anatomy.
The Christian church, who everyone listened to at the time, helped and hindered the training of doctors at the time. Universities and medical libraries were set up to help students learn, and to get qualified in middle ages standards.
“The chief medical advances in Europe during the Middle Ages were the founding of many hospitals and the first university medical schools. Christian religious groups established hundreds of charitable hospitals for people with leprosy. In the 900's, a medical school was established in Salerno, Italy. It became the main center of medical learning in Europe during the 1000's and 1100's. Other medical...