Upload
harvey-owens
View
219
Download
3
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
© Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 14
The History of Health and Medicine – Prehistoric Medicine 3000 BC to AD 43
These icons indicate that teacher’s notes or useful web addresses are available in the Notes Page.
This icon indicates that the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable.
For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.
© Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 14
The History of Health and Medicine
Prehistoric Medicine3000 BC to AD 43
© Boardworks Ltd 20062 of 14
Medicine in Prehistoric Times
MLO: What was prehistoric medicine like?Learning Outcomes: Know some features of prehistoric
medicine (C)
Explain why prehistoric people used the remedies they did (B)
Assess the usefulness of information/evidence available on the lives of prehistoric people
© Boardworks Ltd 20063 of 14
Learning objectives
What we will learn in this presentation:
Which sources we can use to tell us about prehistoric times.
What health and medicine were like in prehistoric times.
How medical knowledge varied in different parts of the world.
© Boardworks Ltd 20063 of 14
Lea
rnin
g o
bje
ctiv
es
© Boardworks Ltd 20064 of 14
How do we know about what life was like so long ago?
There were no written records available at this time, so we have to rely on the findings of archaeologists.
Archaeologists have studied skeletons from prehistoric times (including ones found individually and those found in large tombs) and well-preserved bodies found in peat bogs. Cave paintings can also give evidence of what life was like.
What type of evidence do you think can be discovered from the study of skeletons?
How do we know?
© Boardworks Ltd 20065 of 14
The study of skeletons and preserved bodies can yield the following evidence:
what sorts of diseases prehistoric people suffered from
what condition their bones and teeth were in
whether physical work or warfare caused death or deformity
what they ate for their last meal
how old they were when they died.
Pickled evidence
© Boardworks Ltd 20066 of 14
Life in prehistoric times
© Boardworks Ltd 20067 of 14
Health in prehistoric times
© Boardworks Ltd 20068 of 14
Death in prehistoric times
© Boardworks Ltd 20069 of 14
Archaeologists have found some evidence that suggests what the beliefs of prehistoric people were. Cave paintings give clues about what people thought caused some diseases. Other evidence, such as charms, provide further clues about these beliefs.
To confirm their ideas, historians have talked to groups of people, such as some Aborigines in Australia, whose lifestyles have not changed for thousands of years. By examining their beliefs and practices we can get an insight into prehistoric life.
Medical knowledge and beliefs
© Boardworks Ltd 200610 of 14
Those Aborigines who still follow their traditional culture believe that everyone has their own spirit inside themselves. If a person becomes ill, it is because their spirit has left them, or an evil spirit has entered their body.
To get treatment, Aborigines go to a Medicine Man who knows all about spirits. He puts his patient into a trance by singing and chanting and then massages the sick area which releases the spirit and the patient is cured.
Aboriginal beliefs and treatments
© Boardworks Ltd 200611 of 14
Traditionally, Aborigines also wore charms to keep evil spirits away, and buried their cut-off nails and hair and their excrement, probably to prevent spirits casting spells on them.
All through the history of medicine we find the use of herbal medicine to cure illness and disease, and the Aborigines are no exception. Many women treat their families with herbal remedies and use recipes handed down over thousands of years.
Aboriginal beliefs and treatments
© Boardworks Ltd 200612 of 14
Prehistoric people understood that some medical problems were the result of natural causes, and would treat the problems using natural remedies.
When the causes of an ailment weren't understood, the problem was believed to have supernatural causes.
For example, an open wound might be covered up.
For example, a fit would be thought to be caused by the body being possessed by a spirit.
The causes of disease
© Boardworks Ltd 200613 of 14
What do you think were the dangers of trepanning?
There was very limited use of surgery in prehistoric times. One amazing operation did take place. This was trepanning or trephining, which involved cutting a hole in the skull, possibly to release evil spirits which were causing illness.
Archaeological evidence suggests that people did survive trepanning, although we don't know whether it had any positive effects.
Primitive surgery
© Boardworks Ltd 200614 of 14
No. While medicine in prehistoric Britain and many other places were primitive, elsewhere in the world there were some countries which were highly civilized and advanced.
The Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilizations all developed comfortable lifestyles, with an emphasis on hygiene and medical care.
Was the state of medicine and health the same everywhere at this time?
Now write a sentence explaining how the following factors affected medicine in prehistoric Britain:
beliefs
education
communications.
Regional variations
© Boardworks Ltd 200615 of 14
Quiz