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Modern society often overlooks the importance of medicine, a pillar of contemporary life. However, accessing medical care wasn't always as simple as visiting a doctor. During the medieval period, medical practices were far more perilous and peculiar.
10. Enemas Using Boar Bile
In medieval times, enemas were administered using devices known as clysters. These tools consisted of a long metal tube with a cup at one end. The tube was inserted into the rectum, and a medicinal liquid was poured into the cup. Through a pumping mechanism, the fluid was then delivered into the colon. While modern enemas typically use warm soapy water, medieval versions were more unconventional, often employing mixtures like boar’s bile.
Even monarchs were no strangers to the clyster. King Louis XIV of France reportedly underwent more than 2,000 enemas during his rule, some of which were administered while he remained seated on his throne.
9. Urine Served as an Antiseptic
While not widespread, historical records indicate that urine was sometimes employed as an antiseptic during the Medieval Era. Thomas Vicary, the surgeon of Henry VIII, advised that all battlefield injuries be cleansed with urine. In 1666, physician George Thomson suggested its use for treating the plague. There was even a bottled product called Essence Of Urine.
This practice isn’t entirely unreasonable: urine is sterile upon excretion and might have been a safer option compared to water, which often lacked any assurance of purity.
8. Eye Surgery (Using a Needle)
In the Middle Ages, cataract surgery was conducted using a sturdy needle. The technique involved displacing the cornea toward the rear of the eye.
However, eye surgery evolved quickly with the influence of Islamic medicine on European methods. Instead of a needle, a metal hypodermic syringe was inserted through the sclera (the white part of the eye) to remove cataracts using suction.
7. Treating Hemorrhoids with Hot Iron
In medieval times, it was thought that failing to pray to St. Fiacre, the patron saint against hemorrhoids, would result in—you guessed it—hemorrhoids. Those afflicted were often treated by monks, who would insert a red-hot iron into the rectum. While this method was harsh, the alternative was less painful but also less effective: sitting on St. Fiacre’s renowned rock, where the seventh-century Irish monk was said to have been miraculously healed of his condition. This led to hemorrhoids being referred to as “Saint Fiacre’s illness” throughout the Middle Ages.
By the 12th century, advancements were made. Jewish physician Moses Maimonides authored a seven-chapter treatise on hemorrhoids, critiquing the treatments of his time. He advocated for a much simpler remedy: soaking in a bath.
6. Life-Threatening Surgical Procedures
Contrary to what popular films might suggest, undergoing surgery without anesthesia wasn’t as widespread in the medieval era as many believe. Medicine during this period was surprisingly advanced: as global interactions increased, physicians from diverse cultures exchanged knowledge, leading to the adoption of innovative practices.
Despite the desire for improved medical treatment, the understanding of chemical substances was lacking. While anesthetics were used, the quality of analgesics, antibiotics, and disinfectants was far inferior to modern standards. Consequently, many patients succumbed to infections from their wounds.
5. Toxic Anesthetic Substances
As mentioned earlier, anesthetics were far from the refined science we know today. General anesthesia, in fact, has only been around for about 150 years. Prior to this, patients were sedated using a rough mixture of herbs and wine. One of the most widely used herbal anesthetics was called dwale.
Dwale contained a variety of ingredients, ranging from harmless ones like lettuce and vinegar to lethal substances such as hemlock and opium. Similar to modern sedatives, improper mixing of these components could lead to the patient's death.
4. Trepanation
Trepanation required drilling a small hole into the skull to reveal the dura mater, the brain's outer membrane. This procedure was thought to relieve pressure and address ailments within the head, including epilepsy, migraines, and mental disorders. It was also commonly used to treat physical injuries like skull fractures. However, exposing the brain to airborne pathogens often proved fatal.
Trepanation hasn’t entirely disappeared: it was performed as late as 2000 when two men in the US used it to treat a woman with chronic fatigue syndrome and depression.
3. Bloodletting
Medieval physicians adhered to the concept of “humors,” which referred to bodily fluids: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. This theory, known as “humorism,” originated from Greek and Roman medical ideas, suggesting that an imbalance in these humors significantly impacted a person’s health.
During the Middle Ages, blood—especially excess blood—was frequently considered the root of various illnesses. To address this, doctors would extract large amounts of blood from a patient’s veins, hoping to restore health. The primary methods for this were leeching and venesection.
Leeching involved placing a leech on the affected area, where the creature would suck out blood (and supposedly the disease). Venesection, on the other hand, was more straightforward: a physician would use a specialized knife called a “fleam” to cut open a vein and let blood flow out.
Bloodletting was so widespread that many individuals regularly drained their blood, believing it would maintain their health. Surely, a brief jog would be a more effective way to stay fit?
2. Astrological Medicine
During the medieval period, astrologers were held in such high regard that they were often seen as actual magicians. In reality, they were esteemed scholars who provided guidance on improving crop production, forecasting weather, and even predicting a child’s future personality. These predictions frequently influenced the child’s medical treatment.
Physicians relied on specialized calendars featuring star charts to assist in diagnosing illnesses. By the 1500s, European doctors were legally obligated to examine a patient’s horoscope before initiating any medical treatment.
Astrology posits that every body part is governed by celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and planets, with each zodiac sign ruling over specific areas. For instance, Aries governs the head, face, brain, and eyes, while Scorpio influences the reproductive system, sexual organs, bowels, and excretory system. By analyzing a patient’s star chart and considering the current celestial positions, physicians could predict ailments and make diagnoses.
1. Battlefield Surgical Procedures
Medieval battlefield medicine was as brutal as it sounds, with arrows being a primary cause of injury. Arrowheads were often attached to shafts with wax, ensuring the tip would detach and remain lodged in the victim’s body upon removal. Specialized tools called “arrow removers” were used to extract these tips, after which the wound was cauterized with a hot iron to halt bleeding and prevent infection.
Although much about medieval medical practices has been lost, evidence suggests they were more effective than commonly believed. Bones from 500-700 AD, discovered in Italy in 2011, revealed that soldiers could survive severe head injuries. One skeleton even showed signs of recovery from a five-centimeter (two-inch) hole in the skull.
