‘Medicine stagnated in the Middle Ages. ’ Explain whether you agree with this statement On one hand medicine did stagnate during the Middle Ages. This is because everything that was roman was destroyed. In Britain, as an example, most things linked to the Romans was destroyed – villas were covered up as the Ancient Britons believed that they contained ghosts and evil spirits. With this approach, it is not surprising that anything medical linked to the Romans fell into disuse in Britain.
By the 14th Century, universities had developed in Western Europe that could be classed as medical schools where students could study under a master physician. The University of Montpelier was one such university. Dissections of human bodies were carried out in these universities so anyone wanting to study medicine in the Middle Ages was not totally ignorant of facts about the human body. Public debates were also encouraged about medical issues and it is known that some medical schools encouraged students to actually challenge the ideas of Galen and Hippocrates.
As a result of this refusal to take what Galen and Hippocrates had stated at face value some progress was made in the medical world during this time. The major things destroyed were the aqueducts which meant that there was no clean water. Toilets and sewers were destroyed which lead to the large amounts of waste on streets. Houses were now made from mud rather than stone. Their animals were living in the houses with the people. Also their kitchen and bathroom were often the same room.
The Church was in charge of the teaching and said that everything that Galen said was right and everyone else was wrong. They also believed that prayer was better for treating the disease or illness that actually treating them. Also on top of all of this there was no central government. On the other hand there was some progress. For example wars led to different types of wounds that had to be treated In conclusion, medicine did stagnate during the Middle Ages Yellow= evidence Red= Balance Green= judgment.