Renaissance Healers and Treatments

The Renaissance period saw a diverse range of medical practitioners attending to public health. Physicians received formal education based on works of Galen, Vesalius, and William Harvey, emphasizing thorough patient examination and experimental approaches.

Definition: Physicians were formally trained medical practitioners who studied classical medical texts and conducted patient examinations.

Common people often relied on family remedies, apothecaries, or surgeons due to the high cost of physicians. Women played a crucial role in community healthcare, while nursing sisters administered herbal treatments.

Example: Nursing helpers performed non-medical tasks like patient cleaning and food preparation.

Traditional treatments included bleeding and purging to balance the four humours, while herbal remedies were widely used despite limited understanding of their antibacterial properties.

Highlight: The belief in royal touch as a cure reflected the strong connection between medicine and religious beliefs during this period.