Unusual Cures and Blood Galore (a History of Medicine)
Angela Dunsby, from the John Moore Museum in Tewkesbury, gave her talk in full costume on a very hot day.
She brought a large number of props, and you would be amazed at how these were used in the interests of curing/preventing illnesses or treating injuries. She gave us a really good idea of how people lived many centuries ago and the evolution of the medical profession, which developed into Physicians (university trained), Barber’s Surgeons (7 year apprenticeship) and Apothecaries. The modern equivalents are GPs, Surgeons and Pharmacists.
Blood Letting was a typical process, intended to balance the four ‘humours’ (Blood, Phlegm, Yellow Bile and Black Bile). Some treatment was linked to the zodiac, due the belief that the zodiac was aligned with body parts and treatment would only be effective at certain times of year. There was also much analysis of urine (including drinking it to see if it was sweet).
The props included a weird mask that included a long ‘beak’ which would have been stuffed with herbs to counteract various smells, a saw for amputating limbs, a stick to prod patients, a ‘digit remover’ to punish medical negligence and a special spoon to help remove arrows from flesh without tearing the flesh.
It was a fascinating talk and we are very glad that we live in the 21st century rather than a few hundred years ago. Visit the John Moore Museum in Tewkesbury to find out more.