Medicine and Public Health in the Middle Ages
Revision 1
For the topic, tick the smiley that represents how confident you are with being able to
answer that question in detail.
Medieval Medicine
Explain what medical treatments were available in the medieval period?
Explain the reasons for low life expectancy in the medieval period?
Explain what were believed to be the causes of the Black Death?
Describe the symptoms of the Black Death?
Describe the treatments were available for the Black Death?
Explain the impact of the Black Death?
Factor – How did religion affect medicine in this period?
:-)
:-/
:-(
Task 1: What can learn from the source about beliefs about causes and treatment of
disease in the Middle Ages? (4marks)
Source A: A chart from the Middle Ages called the
Zodiac man. It gave details about when each part of
the body was affected by the Planets and stars. If the
stars told the surgeon not to bleed the patient in that
area, then he would not do so for fear of causing
death.
Writing Guide
Source A shows...
From this I can tell that in the Middle Ages they
thought that... / treated the patient by...
Source A says that...
From this I can infer that in the Middle Ages they
thought that... / treated the patient by...
Task 2: Make a revision memory map. Write down what you can remember first.
Then use the weblinks to help you.
What did people thinks
caused disease?
Who treated the sick?
Medicine and public
health in the Middle
Ages.
Success criteria:
Use key words or phrases.
Public health
No full sentences.
Pictures / images /
diagrams (drawn on, done
digitally or printed out and
stuck on.)
Treatments / preventions
+ cures
Make some key words bold.
Give each area a mark out of three for effectiveness.
Task 3: Create a revision resource focussed on the topic: Why did only 60% of the population
survive the Black Death in the Middle Ages?
You could set it out in any way you wish but some
suggestions are below:
Foldable.
Revision double page (A3 size).
Revision video.
Revision webpage (2 pages).
Essay.
Foldable examples
Key points that should be remembered.
Timeline (if appropriate).
Graphs and tables (if appropriate).
Specific examples.
Pictures.
Key words and definitions.
Colour - eye catching so people will want
to use it to revise.
Influencing factors.
Clear layout - so it's easy to revise from.
Correct spellings.
QR codes printed and stuck on as links to
useful websites.
Success criteria
Useful weblinks
Information
http://www.homewood-school.co.uk/sites/default/files/Medicine%20Revision%20Guide.pdf
http://www.homewoodschool.co.uk/sites/default/files/Medicine%20in%20the%20Middle%20Ages.pdf
http://www.homewoodschool.co.uk/sites/default/files/Public%20Health%20in%20the%20Middle%20Ages.pdf
Videos
http://medicinethroughtime.co.uk/medicalperiods.htm (Second set of videos down)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/shp/middleages/
Stretch Task
Documentary:
Search google for “1348 - History of Britain - Plague - BBC tv episode” This is a
Simon Schama production and is worth watching.
http://youtu.be/-fAhOVFp54E
Write a film style review of this documentary explaining:
What you can learn from it about the Black Death.
What two ideas it gives you about problems with public health and medicine in the
Middle Ages (supported with quotes from the documentary).
Why you think the Nature / Origin / purpose makes this useful to you as history students
studying public health and medicine in medieval Britain and why?
Anything from your own knowledge or nature / origin / purpose that makes this limited in
its use to you as GSCE students and history and why?