Medieval Medicine: Roots, Risks & Remembrance
This is educational and historical, not instructional medical training.
Class 1 — The Medieval Medical World
Date: TBD
Summary:
An introduction to how medicine functioned in the medieval world, shaped by religion, astrology, and humoral theory. This class explores how people understood illness, healing, and the human body—and how those beliefs influenced treatment methods that laid the foundation for later medical systems.
Class 2 — The Medieval Apothecary
Date: TBD
Summary:
A deep dive into herbal medicine, apothecaries, and plant-based remedies of the Middle Ages. We examine which herbs were used, how remedies were prepared, and how many of these practices still exist today—alongside critical discussions on dosage, toxicity, and modern safety standards.
Class 3 — Women’s Healthcare & Midwifery
Date: TBD
Summary:
This class focuses on women’s medicine in medieval times, including midwifery, fertility care, childbirth, and herbal treatments. We explore the vital role women played as healers, how that knowledge was suppressed, and how modern reproductive and midwifery practices have reclaimed parts of this lineage.
Class 4 — Barber Surgeons & Early Surgery
Date: TBD
Summary:
An exploration of medieval surgery before anesthesia and sterilization. Topics include bloodletting, wound care, dental work, and battlefield medicine. We discuss what was dangerous, what surprisingly worked, and how these early practices shaped modern surgical principles.
Class 5 — Disease, Plague & Public Health
Date: TBD
Summary:
A look at how medieval societies responded to widespread disease, including the Black Death. This class examines early quarantine practices, folk remedies, social reactions to illness, and how fear and misinformation spread—drawing parallels to modern public health challenges.
Class 6 — What Changed & What Endured
Date: TBD
Summary:
This comparative class traces which medieval medical practices evolved into modern medicine and which were abandoned. We examine the shift from belief-based medicine to scientific frameworks while recognizing the roots of today’s holistic and integrative approaches.
Class 7 — Ethics, Safety & Medical Responsibility
Date: TBD
Summary:
A critical conversation on the ethical and safety concerns of historical medicine. This class emphasizes informed consent, modern medical boundaries, and why certain medieval practices must never be replicated—while still honoring historical knowledge responsibly.
Class 8 — Integration: Learning From the Past
Date: TBD
Summary:
The closing session integrates historical insight with modern understanding. Students reflect on how medieval medicine influences today’s healing practices and how to responsibly engage with traditional knowledge in a contemporary, trauma-aware, and safety-focused way.
