How Dangerous Really Was Medieval Healthcare?

In the medieval world, the line between a miracle cure and a death sentence was razor-thin. We often dismiss the Middle Ages as a time of medical ignorance, but the foundations of modern healthcare were laid in the wards of medieval hospitals like The Commandery. In this documentary, join historian Matt Lewis as we step inside the world of the barber surgeon and the physician to uncover the truth about the four humors. From the strange practice of tasting urine to diagnose diabetes, to the "life-saving" application of blood-sucking leeches and cauterizing irons, we explore the brutal yet surprisingly logical reality of 14th-century medicine. We also investigate how the medieval world grappled with the terrifying arrival of Leprosy and the Black Death, revealing that many of our modern concepts of quarantine and hygiene are centuries older than we think.

Welcome to Chronicle; your home for all things medieval history! With documentaries covering everything from the collapse of the Roman Empire to the beginnings of the Renaissance, from Hastings to Charlemagne, we'll be exploring everything the Middle Ages have to offer.

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