Medieval physicians performed a vivisection on a living patient, study finds
The Middle Ages had their share of amazing medical stories, but perhaps nothing was more unusual than a surgery that took place in Paris in the year 1475. A chronicle from that time reveals that not only did physicians perform a vivisection on a patient, but that the patient survived.
Birth Control and Abortion in the Middle Ages
Birth control and abortion did take place in the Middle Ages and, like today, there were many medical and ethical issues that medieval people had to contend with.
The Medieval Art of Medicine: A Poem
What was it like to be a physician in the Middle Ages? A poem by a 14th-century doctor sheds a little light on the challenges of practicing medicine in medieval times.
Syphilis-like diseases were already widespread in the Americas before the arrival of Europeans, study finds
There has been an ongoing debate about the origins of syphilis and similar diseases. A new study shows that these illnesses pre-date the Middle Ages by a long period.
What medieval physicians saw when they looked at urine
One of the most important methods medieval physicians used to check on the health of their patients was their urine. The look, colour and smell of urine could reveal if the patient was sick.
How to Cheat on a Virginity Test
A medieval woman was expected not to have sex until she was married, and her wedding night would be a kind of test to show that she had remained a virgin. However, if she did have sex before, was there a way she could cheat on this test?
Oral Health of the Vikings detailed in new study
Widespread caries and toothache – but also some dental work and filing of front teeth. Viking Age teeth from Sweden bear witness to surprisingly advanced dentistry.
What teeth can reveal about the health of early medieval children
Researchers can learn much about a person through their teeth. This is even true for people who lived 1500 years ago in early medieval Germany.
A Medieval Manuscript for a Healthy Life: Tacuinum Sanitatis
Through 130 beautiful pictures the Tacuinum Sanitatis provides unparalleled insights into 15th-century life.
New website tells the story of medieval people through their bones
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have created the website ‘After the Plague: Health and History in Medieval England’ that makes use of skeletal remains to detail everyday lives during the era of the Black Death and its aftermath.
Communities of the living, communities of the dead: hospitals in medieval social life
This paper discussed the nature of medical practice and care in the medieval hospitals of England and Wales, and in particular set out the way that archaeology can help us understand how these sites approached health and treatment.
Did people in the Middle Ages take baths?
It was said that the Middle Ages was ‘one thousand years without a bath.’ However, a closer look shows that baths and bathing were actually quite common in the Middle Ages, but in a different way than one might expect.
10 Ways Healthcare improved in the Middle Ages
Ten medieval medical advances, including hospitals, pharmacies, surgeries and dental care.
Charles the Wise may have killed himself trying to stop prophecy of his own death, study finds
Did Charles V, King of France (1364-80), die from an attempted poisoning, committed 23 years early? Or was his death caused by his own attempts to stop his physician’s warning? A new study weighs in on the case of the ‘weeping fistula’.
New Medieval Books: The Art of Anatomy in Medieval Europe
There is a myth that medieval Europeans did not understand human anatomy and did not perform human dissections. Taylor McCall’s new book definitively disproves that and has the images to back it up.
What was the best wine in the Middle Ages?
When medieval people chose what wine to drink, they might check its colour, smell and taste. More importantly, the choice was often an individual one based on what was the healthiest drink for them.
Vlad the Impaler may have cried tears of blood, study finds
Vlad the Impaler, the notorious medieval ruler of Wallachia, has many myths and legends associated with him – including being the inspiration for Count Dracula. A new study is only going to add to his mystique, as it suggests that Vlad probably had skin and respiratory conditions that could have left him crying tears of blood.
Prince Hal’s Head-Wound: Cause and Effect
The future King Henry V was hit by an arrow to the face at the Battle of Shrewsbury – how did he survive? Research by Michael Livingston explains what happened in one of the most remarkable cases of battlefield surgery from the Middle Ages.
England’s King Edward IV died of syphilis, study finds
Cryptic comments in two medieval sources suggest that the English king died of syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection that was spreading among elites in the later Middle Ages.
The remarkable world of hospitals, orphanages, and leprosaria, with Tim Miller
A conversation with Timothy Miller about philanthropic institutions in Constantinople, especially hospitals, orphanages, and leprosaria.
Did Medieval Physicians learn new things?
Did medieval physicians try to learn about medicine and the human body? Did they try medical experiments?
Medieval skincare routines were remarkably similar to modern versions, study finds
For centuries people have been trying to take care of their skin, making use of many different products, recipes and practices. A new study focusing on the works of the famous medieval doctor Trotula de Ruggiero reveals a skincare routine that is an “extraordinary combination of tradition and modernity.”
Natural Remedies from the Middle Ages: The Alphabet of Galen
In order to heal injuries and cure diseases, medieval men and women turned to the natural world, using food, plants, animals and more…
The 13 Commandments of a Medieval Physician
What were the principles that medieval physicians used in their profession? A document from the 13th century offers a handy guide of 13…
New Medieval Books: The Doctors’ Dinner Party by Ibn Butlan
One does not often see works of satire from the Middle Ages, so this will be of interest to those who want to know more about medieval humour.