Renaissance Medicine

Renaissance Renaissance MedicineMedicine

Lecture 4Lecture 4

Lecture PlanLecture Plan

1.Introduction to the Renaissance Medicine.

2.Medical research and major breakthroughs. Hospitals and healthcare.

3.Famous scientists of the time. Andreas Vesalius. Ambroise Pare. William Harvey.

invention of printing press

dissection of human body

experimental investigation

Renaissance MedicineRenaissance Medicine


Leonardo da Vinci made detailed drawings from human bodies that he dissected.

As the understanding of the body As the understanding of the body increased, so did the development of increased, so did the development of new medicines. Building on knowledge new medicines. Building on knowledge of herbs and minerals taken from of herbs and minerals taken from Arabic writings, Renaissance Arabic writings, Renaissance pharmacistspharmacists experimented with new experimented with new plants brought from distant lands by plants brought from distant lands by explorers like Christopher Columbus.explorers like Christopher Columbus.


Hospitals and healthcareHospitals and healthcare

The majority of people were too poor The majority of people were too poor to be treated by trained doctors. to be treated by trained doctors. Major cities had hospitals. For Major cities had hospitals. For example, the Santa Maria Nuova in example, the Santa Maria Nuova in Florence, treated wealthy patients. Florence, treated wealthy patients.


Surgical instrumentsSurgical instruments remained remained basic. A surgeon would perform basic. A surgeon would perform operations with the most basic set of operations with the most basic set of instruments: a drill, a saw, forceps instruments: a drill, a saw, forceps and pliers for removing teeth. and pliers for removing teeth.


SurgeonsSurgeons belonged to the working belonged to the working class and did the jobs that were class and did the jobs that were considered beneath physicians, such considered beneath physicians, such as bloodletting and pulling teeth. as bloodletting and pulling teeth. Most surgeries were performed by Most surgeries were performed by the barber/surgeon. The most the barber/surgeon. The most common operations were for hernias, common operations were for hernias, gallstones and cesarean section. gallstones and cesarean section.


Andreas VesaliusAndreas Vesalius wrote what is wrote what is considered to be one of the most considered to be one of the most important books in the history of important books in the history of medicine, medicine, The Fabric of the Human Body The Fabric of the Human Body (1543). It was a complete map of the (1543). It was a complete map of the human body, complete with life like human body, complete with life like illustrations. It showed many of Galen’s illustrations. It showed many of Galen’s ideas to be wrong, and soon Vesalius’ ideas to be wrong, and soon Vesalius’ view of anatomy (the study of the view of anatomy (the study of the structure of the body) became accepted structure of the body) became accepted by doctors and surgeons.by doctors and surgeons.


Vesalius was so successful that he Vesalius was so successful that he became Professor of Surgery became Professor of Surgery (responsible for teaching anatomy) at (responsible for teaching anatomy) at Padua University when he was just 23. Padua University when he was just 23. At this time, the Catholic Church said At this time, the Catholic Church said that the works of Galen were inspired by that the works of Galen were inspired by God. So, in the universities of Europe, God. So, in the universities of Europe, anatomy was taught by professors who anatomy was taught by professors who simply read aloud from Galen’s books. simply read aloud from Galen’s books.


In contrast, Vesalius gave lectures in In contrast, Vesalius gave lectures in which he carried out dissections in which he carried out dissections in front of his students, explaining his front of his students, explaining his own theories and not relying on own theories and not relying on those of Galen. Hundreds came to those of Galen. Hundreds came to watch each lecture. He also watch each lecture. He also encouraged his students to examine encouraged his students to examine the human body for themselves. the human body for themselves.


In 1543, his masterpiece, In 1543, his masterpiece, The Fabric of The Fabric of the Human Bodythe Human Body, was published. It was a , was published. It was a very detailed study of anatomy, illustrated very detailed study of anatomy, illustrated throughout by some of the most throughout by some of the most accomplished artists of the Renaissance. accomplished artists of the Renaissance. It was based on knowledge gained from It was based on knowledge gained from human dissections. It provided a complete human dissections. It provided a complete map of the human body. It showed for the map of the human body. It showed for the first time how nerves are connected to first time how nerves are connected to muscles, how bones are nourished, and muscles, how bones are nourished, and the complex structure of the brain. the complex structure of the brain.


Vesalius corrected some of Galen’s Vesalius corrected some of Galen’s errors, such as the idea that humans errors, such as the idea that humans had the same number of bones in the had the same number of bones in the spine as monkeys, and that the spine as monkeys, and that the human jaw is made up of two bones human jaw is made up of two bones when in fact there is only one. when in fact there is only one.


Ambroise PareAmbroise Pare is a key individual is a key individual in the history of medicine who has in the history of medicine who has been called the founderbeen called the founder of modern surgery as he of modern surgery as he significantly changed the way people significantly changed the way people thought about surgery. thought about surgery.


Three main problems faced surgeons at Three main problems faced surgeons at this time. They were this time. They were pain, infection pain, infection andand bleeding bleeding. These 3 factors caused . These 3 factors caused many patients to die. The musket (a form many patients to die. The musket (a form of gun) was becoming the most widely of gun) was becoming the most widely used weapon, but the method of treating used weapon, but the method of treating the wounds – cauterisation – caused a lot the wounds – cauterisation – caused a lot of pain. Pare wanted to find a way to of pain. Pare wanted to find a way to overcome this problem. overcome this problem.


The ways of treating gunshot wounds The ways of treating gunshot wounds before Pare.before Pare.

1) If the wound was not too serious, it was 1) If the wound was not too serious, it was filled with boiling oil to stop the filled with boiling oil to stop the bleeding. bleeding.

2) If the patient needed an amputation, the 2) If the patient needed an amputation, the area would be burnt with a red hot iron, area would be burnt with a red hot iron, called a cautery iron, to stop the called a cautery iron, to stop the bleeding.bleeding.


Pare developed two new methods for treating Pare developed two new methods for treating gunshot wounds. gunshot wounds.

1) (For less serious wounds) Pare made an 1) (For less serious wounds) Pare made an accidental discovery when he ran out of oil that accidental discovery when he ran out of oil that he had been using to pour into gunshot wounds. he had been using to pour into gunshot wounds. He used a digestive (ointment) instead, made He used a digestive (ointment) instead, made from egg yolks, rose oil, and turpentine. He from egg yolks, rose oil, and turpentine. He discovered that this reduced pain greatly. discovered that this reduced pain greatly. Cauterisation was not necessary and the Cauterisation was not necessary and the ointment soothed the area around the wound. It ointment soothed the area around the wound. It also fought infection, making the wound heal also fought infection, making the wound heal quicker.quicker.


2) (For amputations) Pare made sure the patient 2) (For amputations) Pare made sure the patient was strong by feeding him meat and eggs. He was strong by feeding him meat and eggs. He tied the area above the part to be amputated, tied the area above the part to be amputated, using a ligature. This held the skin covering using a ligature. This held the skin covering the muscles and bones and cut off the blood the muscles and bones and cut off the blood supply to the area that would be amputated. supply to the area that would be amputated. Once the limb was amputated Pare would use a Once the limb was amputated Pare would use a Crows BeakCrows Beak (an instrument that resembles a (an instrument that resembles a pair of pliers) to pull out arteries and veins pair of pliers) to pull out arteries and veins before tying them off and sewing them up as before tying them off and sewing them up as quickly as possible using silk thread. This quickly as possible using silk thread. This meant less bleeding and therefore less chance meant less bleeding and therefore less chance of death from loss of blood.of death from loss of blood.


Pare’s method, although groundbreaking, still Pare’s method, although groundbreaking, still left some left some problemsproblems to be solved in the future. to be solved in the future.

* Even though Pare’s use of a digestive * Even though Pare’s use of a digestive (ointment) when treating wounds (ointment) when treating wounds reducedreduced the the risk of infection, many patients still died from risk of infection, many patients still died from infection as effective antiseptics had not yet infection as effective antiseptics had not yet been invented.been invented.

* Pare’s method of using silk thread to tie off * Pare’s method of using silk thread to tie off arteries could actually cause infection. arteries could actually cause infection. Instruments used during operations were not Instruments used during operations were not often clean – there was no knowledge of germs often clean – there was no knowledge of germs – therefore bacteria on those instruments (and – therefore bacteria on those instruments (and the silk thread) was often transferred to the the silk thread) was often transferred to the wound and sealed inside.wound and sealed inside.


William HarveyWilliam Harvey was very interested was very interested in anatomy, particularly the work of in anatomy, particularly the work of Vesalius. After leaving university he Vesalius. After leaving university he worked as a doctor at St worked as a doctor at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and then as a lecturer in anatomy at the then as a lecturer in anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons. He was also Royal College of Surgeons. He was also physician to both James I and Charles physician to both James I and Charles I.I.


Like Pare and Vesalius, Harvey believed in the Like Pare and Vesalius, Harvey believed in the importance of careful observation, dissection importance of careful observation, dissection and experiments in order to improve his and experiments in order to improve his knowledge of how the body worked. In 1615 knowledge of how the body worked. In 1615 Harvey began to work on the idea that blood Harvey began to work on the idea that blood circulated around the body. Around this time, circulated around the body. Around this time, water pumps were invented. This gave Harvey water pumps were invented. This gave Harvey the idea that perhaps the heart worked in the the idea that perhaps the heart worked in the same way as a water pump, and pumped same way as a water pump, and pumped blood around the body. blood around the body.


Harvey’s study of beating hearts showed him Harvey’s study of beating hearts showed him that the heart was pushing out large volumes that the heart was pushing out large volumes of blood. He proved that each push happened of blood. He proved that each push happened at the same time as the pulse which could be at the same time as the pulse which could be felt at the neck and at the wrist. He realised felt at the neck and at the wrist. He realised that so much blood was being pumped out by that so much blood was being pumped out by the heart, that it could not be used up and the heart, that it could not be used up and replaced by new blood as Galen had said. This replaced by new blood as Galen had said. This suggested that there was a fixed amount of suggested that there was a fixed amount of blood in the body, and that it was circulating. blood in the body, and that it was circulating.



William Harvey observed how blood flowed around the body. Drawings like this demonstrate that veins have valves and return blood to the heart.

Harvey’s theory met with opposition Harvey’s theory met with opposition because it suggested that if there was because it suggested that if there was a fixed amount of blood in the body, a fixed amount of blood in the body, then there was no need for the then there was no need for the practice of bloodletting. Bloodletting practice of bloodletting. Bloodletting was a very common and well respected was a very common and well respected medical practice, which had been used medical practice, which had been used ever since ancient times.ever since ancient times.


Medical practices in the Renaissance Medical practices in the Renaissance were not changed by Harvey’s work. were not changed by Harvey’s work. Blood letting still continued to be a Blood letting still continued to be a popular practice, and it was only in popular practice, and it was only in the 1900’s that doctors realised the the 1900’s that doctors realised the importance of checking a patient’s importance of checking a patient’s blood flow by checking their pulse.blood flow by checking their pulse.


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Renaissance Medicine

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