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Did You Know? 10 Strange Facts About Medieval Medicine
Medieval medicine, practiced roughly between the 5th and 15th centuries, was a fascinating blend of ancient wisdom, religious belief, and sometimes bizarre remedies. While modern medicine has advanced tremendously, exploring the medical practices of the Middle Ages reveals a world where bloodletting was routine, urine analysis was considered cutting-edge diagnostics, and some treatments were surprisingly effective. Here are ten strange and captivating facts about medieval medicine that illuminate this intriguing period in medical history.
1. Urine Was the Ultimate Diagnostic Tool
Medieval physicians placed extraordinary faith in uroscopy, the practice of examining a patient’s urine. Doctors would analyze urine’s color, consistency, smell, and even taste to diagnose ailments. Special urine wheels were created as visual guides, showing up to twenty different urine colors and their corresponding diagnoses. Physicians carried special glass flasks called matulas specifically for this purpose, and a doctor’s reputation often depended on their skill at interpreting these samples. This practice was so central to medieval medicine that physicians were frequently depicted in art holding up a flask of urine.
2. Bloodletting Was Prescribed for Almost Everything
Based on the ancient Greek theory of the four humors (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile), bloodletting was the go-to treatment for numerous conditions. Medieval doctors believed that illness resulted from an imbalance of these humors, and removing “excess” blood could restore health. This procedure was performed using lancets, leeches, or specialized tools called fleams. Barber-surgeons, recognizable by their iconic red and white striped poles (representing blood and bandages), commonly performed this procedure. Bloodletting was recommended for everything from fevers and headaches to mental illness and plague.
3. Drilling Holes in Skulls Was Common Practice
Trepanation, the practice of drilling or scraping holes into the human skull, was surprisingly common in medieval times. Physicians performed this dramatic procedure to treat head injuries, seizures, migraines, and mental disorders. The theory held that drilling holes would release evil spirits, relieve pressure, or allow “bad humors” to escape. Archaeological evidence shows that many patients actually survived this procedure, as bones show signs of healing around the holes. Some individuals even underwent multiple trepanations throughout their lives.
4. Animal Dung Was Considered Medicinal
Medieval medicine made extensive use of animal excrement in various remedies. Pigeon dung was applied to baldness, goose dung treated scalp conditions, and a mixture of chicken feces and wine was used for epilepsy. Physicians even prescribed dried animal droppings to be worn as amulets or consumed directly. While this seems utterly repulsive today, some modern researchers suggest that certain animal dungs may have contained antibacterial properties from the animals’ plant-based diets, though this hardly justified the widespread and indiscriminate use.
5. Dead Mice Were a Popular Toothache Remedy
For those suffering from toothaches, medieval dentistry offered a peculiar solution: applying a paste made from dead mice. Various recipes existed, with some calling for the entire mouse to be mashed and applied directly to the affected tooth, while others recommended mixing mouse parts with other ingredients. Alternative treatments included wearing mouse skin as a headband or placing half a dead mouse against the painful tooth. Given the lack of understanding about bacterial infections and tooth decay, these remedies were entirely ineffective, though the pressure applied might have provided temporary relief.
6. Zodiac Signs Determined Treatment Timing
Medieval medicine was deeply intertwined with astrology. Physicians consulted detailed zodiac charts before performing surgeries, prescribing medications, or conducting bloodletting. Each zodiac sign was believed to govern specific body parts—Aries ruled the head, Taurus the neck, Gemini the arms, and so forth. Doctors timed procedures according to planetary alignments and lunar phases, believing that operating on a body part when its corresponding constellation was ascendant could prove fatal. Medical texts included elaborate astronomical diagrams, and a physician’s education included extensive astrological training.
7. Bread Mold Treated Infections Successfully
In a surprising instance of medieval medicine being scientifically sound, physicians applied moldy bread to infected wounds. While they didn’t understand the mechanism, they observed that this treatment often prevented infections from worsening. Modern science has revealed that certain bread molds produce penicillin-like substances with antibacterial properties. This medieval practice essentially represented a primitive form of antibiotic therapy, centuries before Alexander Fleming’s official discovery of penicillin in 1928. This remedy proves that not all medieval treatments were quackery.
8. Live Animals Were Used as Surgical Tools
Medieval surgeons employed live leeches for bloodletting, but the use of living creatures went beyond this. Leeches were valued because they provided controlled, localized blood removal and injected natural anticoagulants. Additionally, maggots were sometimes deliberately introduced to wounds. While this might seem horrifying, maggots actually eat dead and infected tissue while leaving healthy tissue intact. This practice, called maggot therapy, has seen a modern revival in certain medical contexts for treating stubborn infections and necrotic wounds, validating this ancient technique.
9. Theriac Contained Dozens of Strange Ingredients
Theriac was a legendary cure-all remedy that originated in ancient times but remained popular throughout the medieval period. This complex concoction supposedly contained anywhere from 64 to 100 ingredients, including viper flesh, opium, cinnamon, myrrh, honey, and numerous herbs. The preparation process could take months or even years, and genuine theriac was extremely expensive. It was prescribed for poisoning, plague, and virtually every other ailment. Venice became famous for producing high-quality theriac, and public demonstrations of its preparation helped assure buyers of its authenticity. While largely ineffective, the opium content may have provided some pain relief.
10. Saints Were Prescribed as Specific Remedies
Medieval medicine blended religious faith with medical practice in unique ways. Different saints were invoked for specific ailments, functioning almost like specialized physicians. Saint Apollonia was called upon for toothaches, Saint Lawrence for back pain, Saint Lucy for eye diseases, and Saint Sebastian for plague victims. Pilgrimages to shrines, prayers, and relics associated with particular saints formed an integral part of the treatment plan. This spiritual approach to healing reflected the medieval worldview that disease often had divine or demonic origins, requiring supernatural intervention alongside physical remedies.
Conclusion
These ten strange facts about medieval medicine reveal a world where empirical observation mixed with superstition, religious faith intersected with proto-scientific inquiry, and desperation drove experimentation. While many practices seem bizarre or dangerous by modern standards, medieval physicians worked with limited understanding of anatomy, infection, and disease mechanisms. Remarkably, some remedies like moldy bread and maggot therapy have proven scientifically valid, demonstrating that even in an era of medical darkness, occasional sparks of effective treatment emerged. Studying medieval medicine reminds us how far medical science has progressed while humbling us with the knowledge that future generations may view some current practices with similar bewilderment.
