A late sixteenth-century painting showing the miraculous, painless transplant of a leg by Saints Cosmas and Damian. What does this tell us about medieval surgery? Were surgeons or physicians more likely to improve medicine at this time?

starter activity

What kinds of What kinds of surgery were surgery were

available in the available in the Middle Ages?Middle Ages?To find out how doctors were To find out how doctors were

trained, the types of trained, the types of treatments that were usedtreatments that were used

To create a prospectus for a To create a prospectus for a medieval medical schoolmedieval medical school

LOs

Your taskYour task

Watch the clip form ‘Blood & Guts’ (BBC). Watch the clip form ‘Blood & Guts’ (BBC). Why did people think blood-letting would Why did people think blood-letting would

help improve health? help improve health? Why do some Why do some doctors still use leeches today in surgery?doctors still use leeches today in surgery?

Your taskYour task

Read about the work of a medieval surgeon Read about the work of a medieval surgeon on p.72-3 and take notes under these on p.72-3 and take notes under these headings:headings:

Doctors were using new surgical techniquesDoctors were using new surgical techniques Improvements in the treatment of infectionImprovements in the treatment of infection Improvements in education & knowledge of Improvements in education & knowledge of

anatomyanatomy Which factors, e.g. war, education, Which factors, e.g. war, education,

technology had the greatest impact on technology had the greatest impact on surgery at this time?surgery at this time?

The Battle of

Shrewsbury (1403) &

below a copy of the instrument

used by Bradmore to extract

arrows

Doctors were using new Doctors were using new surgical techniquessurgical techniques

Specialist doctors – John Bradmore, Specialist doctors – John Bradmore, King’s surgeon specialised in King’s surgeon specialised in military surgerymilitary surgery

New instruments – forceps for New instruments – forceps for removing arrowheadsremoving arrowheads

New techniques – use of honey to New techniques – use of honey to prevent infectionprevent infection

Improvements in the Improvements in the treatment of infectiontreatment of infection

Hugh & Theodoric of Hugh & Theodoric of Lucca challenged Lucca challenged Galen’s ideas on pusGalen’s ideas on pus

Contact with Islamic Contact with Islamic doctors on Crusades doctors on Crusades helped develop their helped develop their ideasideas

Used wine & honey as Used wine & honey as antisepticsantiseptics

How did war help medicine? Where have we seen this before?

Improvements in Improvements in education & knowledge education & knowledge

of anatomyof anatomy Henri de Mondeville challenged Henri de Mondeville challenged

Galen – cleansing wounds and Galen – cleansing wounds and closing them quickly was betterclosing them quickly was better

Roger of Salerno – 1Roger of Salerno – 1stst European text European text book on surgerybook on surgery

Guy de Chauliac (c.1300-1368) – Guy de Chauliac (c.1300-1368) – ‘Chirugia Magna’‘Chirugia Magna’

Guy de Chauliac

Medieval barber-surgeon

Medieval anatomy class

Your taskYour task Imagine you are a medieval physician applying for the Imagine you are a medieval physician applying for the

job of king’s doctor. Write a letter of application (1 side job of king’s doctor. Write a letter of application (1 side A4) in which you explain the following:A4) in which you explain the following:

Your beliefs about the causes of illnessYour beliefs about the causes of illness Your skills in anatomyYour skills in anatomy The different treatments you can offerThe different treatments you can offer The influence of individualsThe influence of individuals Produce a CV to accompany your letterProduce a CV to accompany your letter

Dissection of a corpse

Satisfactory letter Employment prospects increasing

The job’s yours!

You include a limited number of items

There are many SPAG errors

The work is poorly presented

You cover most but not all the factors

You explore the points well but there is still room to give more examples of your skills and training

It has the appearance of a job application letter but contains occasional errors

Includes all these points and explores them in detail

Your beliefs about the causes of illnessYour skills in anatomyThe different treatments you can offer

There are few if any errors and the letter is very professionally laid out

It is written in a formal and very respectful style (register)

PlenaryPlenary Cover the notes on your table leaving only the Cover the notes on your table leaving only the

categories and see how much you can recall categories and see how much you can recall about…about… Causes of diseaseCauses of disease Knowledge of anatomyKnowledge of anatomy Diagnosis & TreatmentDiagnosis & Treatment SurgerySurgery

Write a judgement on the back of your chart Write a judgement on the back of your chart explaining whether you think medieval medicine explaining whether you think medieval medicine represents a step forward in the history of represents a step forward in the history of medicine. Use examples to illustrate your points.medicine. Use examples to illustrate your points.

Watch this clip from a recent Casualty drama. What are the key features of a good medical drama?

Extension taskExtension task

Imagine you have been asked to produce a Imagine you have been asked to produce a trailer for a medieval medical drama. Your trailer for a medieval medical drama. Your TV advert should include the following TV advert should include the following pointspoints

Introductions to some of the main Introductions to some of the main characters in your soapcharacters in your soap

The types of illnesses they facedThe types of illnesses they faced The ways they diagnosed illnessesThe ways they diagnosed illnesses The treatments they gave including The treatments they gave including

surgerysurgery