Six Medieval Rules for Healthy Living
A medieval medical guide reduced healthy living to six simple rules. Explore The Theatre of Health and how its advice on diet, activity, and balance still resonates today.
What the Black Death Can Teach Us About Childhood Malnutrition and Adult Health
A new study of medieval skeletons reveals how childhood malnutrition shaped survival during the Black Death—and contributed to poorer health in later life.
How Swaddling Shaped Infant Skeletons in the Middle Ages
Swaddling was a common practice in medieval Europe, believed to protect and strengthen infants — but archaeological research shows it may have had unintended effects on their developing skeletons.
Medieval Hospitals with Sarah Loose Guerrero
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Sarah Loose Guerrero about what to expect at a medieval hospital, how institutions like the Ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala supported citizens from infancy to adulthood, and what hospital support looked like for both urban and rural communities.
Viking-Age Skulls Reveal Widespread Disease and Infections
New research using CT scans of Viking-Age skulls has revealed evidence of severe infections, osteoarthritis, and dental diseases that plagued Sweden’s medieval population. The study offers a glimpse into the hardships of Viking life, where untreated illnesses could linger for years.
Medieval Bruges Unveils Evidence of Ancient Parasites
A McMaster University researcher has uncovered evidence of intestinal parasites in a 500-year-old latrine from Bruges, Belgium. While the findings might make some queasy, they offer vital scientific insight into the historical spread of infectious diseases through travel and trade.
Medieval London Skeletons Rewrite Health History
Studying medieval skeletons can help create specific health measures for different populations in the past, according to a recent study published in the journal Science Advances.
10 Ways Healthcare improved in the Middle Ages
Ten medieval medical advances, including hospitals, pharmacies, surgeries and dental care.
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.
People in early medieval settlement had “very poor health,” study finds
New study on early medieval community reveals they suffered from many diseases and infections.
The Management and Daily Life of a Medieval Hospital
This article looks at the late medieval hospitals of the kingdom of France at the end of the Middle Ages and asks how they were managed, how large they were, and what daily life was like in these charitable institutions.
What was the biggest health problem of the Middle Ages?
The bubonic plague is often considered the greatest threat to human health during the Middle Ages. But a new study suggests that medieval…
The Trotula with Monica Green
In honour of the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Trotula, Danièle speaks with editor and translator Dr. Monica Green about this astonishing collection of medieval medical and cosmetic advice for women.
The Medieval Origins of Quarantine
The origins of quarantine date back to the Middle Ages, an idea that emerged in the wake of the Black Death.
Medieval Medicine with Winston E. Black
What happened when someone got sick in the Middle Ages? Medieval medicine and healthcare might be two of the most misunderstood aspects of the whole era. This week Danièle speaks with Winston E. Black about some of the myths we have about medicine in the Middle Ages.
BOOK REVIEW: A Year in the Life of Medieval England by Toni Mount
Author Toni Mount is back again, but this time with an in-depth look at daily life in Medieval England. Her book, A Year in the Life of Medieval England, explores war, medicine, marriage, disputes, work, and cooking. A fascinating almanac of bits and bobs about Medieval England from the most most mundane, to the most important events in its history.
BOOK REVIEW: Medieval Medicine: Its Mysteries and Science by Toni Mount
Our review of Toni Mount’s fascinating look at medicine in the Middle Ages in – Medieval Medicine: Its Mysteries and Science by Toni Mount.
Making the Medieval Relevant: Crossing Boundaries: Interdisciplinary Studies on Disease and Disability
A summary of a paper given by Professor Christina Lee at the University of Nottingham’s “Making the Medieval Relevant” Conference.
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 physician sheds a little light on the challenges of practicing medicine in his own time.
Dyes, Diets and Deodorants: Venetian Beauty Secrets Revealed
If you think it’s hard to keep up a beauty regime now, wait until you see what lengths the Venetians went to in order to be beautiful!
Sleepwalking and Murder in the Middle Ages
It happens that many people get up at night while asleep, take weapons or sticks, or ride a horse.What is the cause of this? What is the remedy?
The Cyrurgia of Albucasis and other works, 1500
Four surgical treatises, printed in the last year of the fifteenth century, make up the oldest illustrated printed book in the Sibbald Library. The second one, the Cyrurgia of Albucasis, is the most interesting and I shall deal only briefly with the others.
The Stench of Disease: Public Health and the Environment in Late-Medieval English towns and cities
This article explores the urban environmental concerns of late-medieval English towns and cities and argues that these urban areas had a form of public health.
Limitations imposed by wearing armour on Medieval soldiers’ locomotor performance
Our findings can predict age-associated decline in Medieval soldiers’ physical performance, and have potential implications in understanding the outcomes of past European military battles.
