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Medicine in the Middle Ages: Surviving the Times
The Middle Ages covers a span of roughly one thousand years, and through that time people were subject to an array of not only deadly diseases but deplorable living conditions. It was a time when cures for sickness were often worse than the illness itself mixed with a population of people who lacked any real understanding of sanitation and cleanliness.
Dive in to the history of medieval medicine, and learn how the foundations of healing were built on the knowledge of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers. Understand how your social status would have affected medical care, and how the domination of the Catholic Church was the basis of an abundant amount of fear regarding life and death.
We are given an intimate look into the devastating time of the Black Death, along with other horrific ailments that would have easily claimed a life in the Middle Ages. Delve inside the minds of the physicians and barbersurgeons for a better understanding of how they approached healing.
As well as diving into the treacherous waters of medieval childbirth, Cummings looks into the birth of hospitals and the care for the insane. We are also taken directly to the battlefield and given the gruesome details of medieval warfare and its repercussions. Examine the horrors of the torture chamber and execution as a means of justice.
Medicine in the Middle Ages is a fascinating walk through time to give us a better understanding of such a perilous part of history.
Dive in to the history of medieval medicine, and learn how the foundations of healing were built on the knowledge of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers. Understand how your social status would have affected medical care, and how the domination of the Catholic Church was the basis of an abundant amount of fear regarding life and death.
We are given an intimate look into the devastating time of the Black Death, along with other horrific ailments that would have easily claimed a life in the Middle Ages. Delve inside the minds of the physicians and barbersurgeons for a better understanding of how they approached healing.
As well as diving into the treacherous waters of medieval childbirth, Cummings looks into the birth of hospitals and the care for the insane. We are also taken directly to the battlefield and given the gruesome details of medieval warfare and its repercussions. Examine the horrors of the torture chamber and execution as a means of justice.
Medicine in the Middle Ages is a fascinating walk through time to give us a better understanding of such a perilous part of history.
208 pages, Hardcover
Published December 14, 2021
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159 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 24, 2021
A definite and insightful offering into the way medicine was taught and practised for over one thousand years. Ms Cummings begins with the basic information on the medical science during the ancient times, with emphasis on the role of the Arab world, which is helpful while following the progress of medicine during the later centuries. A panorama of places and practitioners of all kinds and diseases that prevailed till the beginning of Rennaisance is well-presented and easy to follow for a reader interested in the period. Personally, I found the chapters on mental disorders and the evolution of a surgeon most interesting.
The fourth star is for the information I came across for the first time. The book is easy to read which is what I hoped for, being a lay person who has no professional connections with medicine.
The fourth star is for the information I came across for the first time. The book is easy to read which is what I hoped for, being a lay person who has no professional connections with medicine.
May 12, 2022
4 "gratitude inducing and stomach churning" stars !!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Pen & Sword History for an e-copy of this book. This was released October 2021. I am providing an honest review.
This book is a fascinating if grotesque look at the state of health, medicine, hygiene, illness and torture during the Middle Ages in primarily Western Europe. The author has written a most fascinating, informative and contextual book of life during this most brutal of times. The author writes in an easy to follow, conversational and well organized fashion and she keeps the reader both engrossed (as well as grossed out) and involved as she explores many aspects of this very broad topic.
From my memory here is a list of some of the topics covered:
-role of Greek and Middle Eastern philosophy and practice of health and medicine
-idea of the imbalance of the four humors as the major cause of ill health
-lack of understanding of how poor hygiene, filth and close quarters lead to epidemics and poor health
-discussion of illnesses such as the bubonic plague, syphyllis, leprosy, dysentery and attempts at treatments
-poor knowledge of birthing practices that led to huge numbers of maternal deaths
- childhood illness and only a quarter of children living to past ten years of age
-huge differences in health status between the nobility and peasants
-the role of physicians, surgeons, barbers, midwives, herbalists and apothecaries
- the role of church and Christian faith
-the rise of hospitals, almshouses and guesthouses
-types of surgeries done without anesthetics
-medicinal uses of herbs and poisons
-types of executions and the beginnings of torture methods
-the role of war in premature deaths and injuries for men
- a bunch of other topics that are just not coming to mind now
As you can tell there is huge breadth in this book and an extensive bibliography to further your knowledge in any particular topics that a reader finds interesting.
This is an excellent primer that I most enjoyed (for lack of a better word). I would have liked some pictures and diagrams and I found the end a bit abrupt. But perhaps this was purposeful as many in those times died prematurely.....
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Pen & Sword History for an e-copy of this book. This was released October 2021. I am providing an honest review.
This book is a fascinating if grotesque look at the state of health, medicine, hygiene, illness and torture during the Middle Ages in primarily Western Europe. The author has written a most fascinating, informative and contextual book of life during this most brutal of times. The author writes in an easy to follow, conversational and well organized fashion and she keeps the reader both engrossed (as well as grossed out) and involved as she explores many aspects of this very broad topic.
From my memory here is a list of some of the topics covered:
-role of Greek and Middle Eastern philosophy and practice of health and medicine
-idea of the imbalance of the four humors as the major cause of ill health
-lack of understanding of how poor hygiene, filth and close quarters lead to epidemics and poor health
-discussion of illnesses such as the bubonic plague, syphyllis, leprosy, dysentery and attempts at treatments
-poor knowledge of birthing practices that led to huge numbers of maternal deaths
- childhood illness and only a quarter of children living to past ten years of age
-huge differences in health status between the nobility and peasants
-the role of physicians, surgeons, barbers, midwives, herbalists and apothecaries
- the role of church and Christian faith
-the rise of hospitals, almshouses and guesthouses
-types of surgeries done without anesthetics
-medicinal uses of herbs and poisons
-types of executions and the beginnings of torture methods
-the role of war in premature deaths and injuries for men
- a bunch of other topics that are just not coming to mind now
As you can tell there is huge breadth in this book and an extensive bibliography to further your knowledge in any particular topics that a reader finds interesting.
This is an excellent primer that I most enjoyed (for lack of a better word). I would have liked some pictures and diagrams and I found the end a bit abrupt. But perhaps this was purposeful as many in those times died prematurely.....
November 24, 2021
A BIG thank you to Pen & Sword for granting my "wish" and allowing me to read this book on NetGalley!
I have always been a huge fan of history, with medical history being one of my favorite sub-genre's to read about. The moment I saw this book I knew I had to read it. It just FELT like it would have the answers to some questions I've always wondered about concerning medical/health problems of the past. And boy did it !!
I'm sure somebody out there could write a very longgggggg, dry, technical manual to Medieval medical history and I'm sure it would be very helpful! But unless you're a college student, professor, or someone in the field, I don't see that book being very enjoyable. THIS book is enjoyable! Juliana Cummings does a wonderful job of keeping facts moving within the text while not boring the reader with every finite detail of the medical history of Medieval Times. Each chapter covers a different "piece" of the Medieval medical pie (if you will) but flow wonderfully together as a whole text.
Juliana Cummings has definitely done her research and she has made a lovely book that brings the facts and history to life for anyone who has ever wondered about the past. Although the Medieval period can be seen today as dark, unsanitary, and almost inhumane, Juliana Cummings takes the good and the bad and shows that at the end of the day people are people.
A great read for anyone who loves history, medicine, or just something full of very interesting facts. This book will definitely win you "cool points" when you start mentioning facts at a Holiday Party! 10/10 !
I have always been a huge fan of history, with medical history being one of my favorite sub-genre's to read about. The moment I saw this book I knew I had to read it. It just FELT like it would have the answers to some questions I've always wondered about concerning medical/health problems of the past. And boy did it !!
I'm sure somebody out there could write a very longgggggg, dry, technical manual to Medieval medical history and I'm sure it would be very helpful! But unless you're a college student, professor, or someone in the field, I don't see that book being very enjoyable. THIS book is enjoyable! Juliana Cummings does a wonderful job of keeping facts moving within the text while not boring the reader with every finite detail of the medical history of Medieval Times. Each chapter covers a different "piece" of the Medieval medical pie (if you will) but flow wonderfully together as a whole text.
Juliana Cummings has definitely done her research and she has made a lovely book that brings the facts and history to life for anyone who has ever wondered about the past. Although the Medieval period can be seen today as dark, unsanitary, and almost inhumane, Juliana Cummings takes the good and the bad and shows that at the end of the day people are people.
A great read for anyone who loves history, medicine, or just something full of very interesting facts. This book will definitely win you "cool points" when you start mentioning facts at a Holiday Party! 10/10 !
November 16, 2021
https://sarahsdeepdives.blogspot.com/...
I don’t know a whole lot about medicine in the Middle Ages. I’ve read a lot of nonfiction books about various plagues that swept through numerous regions during the time period we would define as “Middle Ages” but aside from that, and information gleaned in those books, I don’t know much. However, I want to know more. I find myself, when I read books set in this time period, often wondering how exactly people survived. When I saw Medicine in the Middle Ages, I knew it was a book I had to read, and so I jumped on it.
The first thing I was concerned about is accessibility. Anyone who reads a good amount of nonfiction knows that sometimes authors probably think they are being accessible to the every reader, but in the end they are anything but. I didn’t want a book that read like a textbook, and I knew with my limited medical background, I’d need something I could easily sink into and understand, and I will say I found all of that here. Medicine in the Middle Ages might have a somewhat dry title, but the text inside the book is anything but. Cummings does a fantastic job weaving together history and scientific understanding to give readers a well-rounded overview of the topic, of the beliefs in that day and age, where they came from, and how they influenced medical understanding.
Cummings spends the first part of the book talking more about how life was lived in the Middle Ages, rather than discussing medicine itself. This part of the book fascinated me, and I discovered pretty early on that it was essential to start the book out this way. You have to understand how people lived to be able to fully appreciate how they interacted with the world when something like a plague swept through. Once this foundation is laid, however, the author immerses herself in her subject matter. Due to the fact that we have some firm foundation upon which to explore this topic, thanks to the first chunk of the book, the information about medicine meant more to me, because I had context with which to address it.
The Middle Ages itself is a period of time spanning about 1,000 years, and things change in that amount of time. Cummings spans the era, touching on important moments and historical events, giving some of them an intimate study while glossing over ones that might not be, perhaps, as important to the reader’s general understanding. The Black Death, an infamous plague that wiped out a good chunk of Europe’s population, is covered in detail, and though I have read numerous books on the subject already, I did learn some new things here. She also does not shy away from matters like childbirth, hospitals, and insane asylums, which were things I was really hoping to find in this book, and aren’t very often covered in other books detailing matters in this time period.
Context was something I appreciated throughout. Cummings doesn’t just throw readers into the mire, she leads them through. We read about these events from a 21st century standpoint, which is often why I think, “How on earth did anyone survive back then?” We don’t often read about these things from the standpoint of someone living there, at that time. Cummings has a way of peeling back the layers between us and them, and showing readers not just what people practiced in the way of medicine, but why they did it, and their current understanding of what they were doing and why. This allows readers to better grasp what they got right, and what they got wrong, and how well (or poorly) they were doing based on the information they had at the time. From women’s healthcare to war wounds to plagues, each aspect is covered compassionately, and with an obvious understanding for not just why people did what they did, but their understanding of what they were doing as well.
Ultimately, I learned a lot more from this book than I expected, and not all of it was about medicine. Due to Cumming’s knack for weaving history and science together into such a smooth narrative, I learned a lot of things about history that I didn’t know already as well. In fact, I went into this book with a general sense of curiosity, and left it with a list as long as my arm of things to google and learn more about. That’s always the sign of a good nonfiction book, in my estimation. They don’t just inform the reader, but they make the reader want to know more, and that’s what this did. Perhaps if I did have one drawback, it’s that this book isn’t terribly long. Clocking in at just under 200 pages, there isn’t a lot of room here for the author to cover topics in extensive detail, and so you might just want to make a list of things to further research, as some of the topics covered felt more like vignettes.
Accessibly written with a knack for context and an ability to present complex topics in easily digestible bites, Medicine in the Middle Ages was a fascinating read. I highly recommend it to any nonfiction reader who enjoys books that seamlessly blend science and history.
I don’t know a whole lot about medicine in the Middle Ages. I’ve read a lot of nonfiction books about various plagues that swept through numerous regions during the time period we would define as “Middle Ages” but aside from that, and information gleaned in those books, I don’t know much. However, I want to know more. I find myself, when I read books set in this time period, often wondering how exactly people survived. When I saw Medicine in the Middle Ages, I knew it was a book I had to read, and so I jumped on it.
The first thing I was concerned about is accessibility. Anyone who reads a good amount of nonfiction knows that sometimes authors probably think they are being accessible to the every reader, but in the end they are anything but. I didn’t want a book that read like a textbook, and I knew with my limited medical background, I’d need something I could easily sink into and understand, and I will say I found all of that here. Medicine in the Middle Ages might have a somewhat dry title, but the text inside the book is anything but. Cummings does a fantastic job weaving together history and scientific understanding to give readers a well-rounded overview of the topic, of the beliefs in that day and age, where they came from, and how they influenced medical understanding.
Cummings spends the first part of the book talking more about how life was lived in the Middle Ages, rather than discussing medicine itself. This part of the book fascinated me, and I discovered pretty early on that it was essential to start the book out this way. You have to understand how people lived to be able to fully appreciate how they interacted with the world when something like a plague swept through. Once this foundation is laid, however, the author immerses herself in her subject matter. Due to the fact that we have some firm foundation upon which to explore this topic, thanks to the first chunk of the book, the information about medicine meant more to me, because I had context with which to address it.
The Middle Ages itself is a period of time spanning about 1,000 years, and things change in that amount of time. Cummings spans the era, touching on important moments and historical events, giving some of them an intimate study while glossing over ones that might not be, perhaps, as important to the reader’s general understanding. The Black Death, an infamous plague that wiped out a good chunk of Europe’s population, is covered in detail, and though I have read numerous books on the subject already, I did learn some new things here. She also does not shy away from matters like childbirth, hospitals, and insane asylums, which were things I was really hoping to find in this book, and aren’t very often covered in other books detailing matters in this time period.
Context was something I appreciated throughout. Cummings doesn’t just throw readers into the mire, she leads them through. We read about these events from a 21st century standpoint, which is often why I think, “How on earth did anyone survive back then?” We don’t often read about these things from the standpoint of someone living there, at that time. Cummings has a way of peeling back the layers between us and them, and showing readers not just what people practiced in the way of medicine, but why they did it, and their current understanding of what they were doing and why. This allows readers to better grasp what they got right, and what they got wrong, and how well (or poorly) they were doing based on the information they had at the time. From women’s healthcare to war wounds to plagues, each aspect is covered compassionately, and with an obvious understanding for not just why people did what they did, but their understanding of what they were doing as well.
Ultimately, I learned a lot more from this book than I expected, and not all of it was about medicine. Due to Cumming’s knack for weaving history and science together into such a smooth narrative, I learned a lot of things about history that I didn’t know already as well. In fact, I went into this book with a general sense of curiosity, and left it with a list as long as my arm of things to google and learn more about. That’s always the sign of a good nonfiction book, in my estimation. They don’t just inform the reader, but they make the reader want to know more, and that’s what this did. Perhaps if I did have one drawback, it’s that this book isn’t terribly long. Clocking in at just under 200 pages, there isn’t a lot of room here for the author to cover topics in extensive detail, and so you might just want to make a list of things to further research, as some of the topics covered felt more like vignettes.
Accessibly written with a knack for context and an ability to present complex topics in easily digestible bites, Medicine in the Middle Ages was a fascinating read. I highly recommend it to any nonfiction reader who enjoys books that seamlessly blend science and history.
September 11, 2021
Parts of the book were informative and interesting; but other parts were disappointing.
I found chapters 4, 5 and 6 particularly interesting, as they gave good information about a range of medieval illnesses and attempts to treat them. We heard about plagues like the black death, illnesses like Syphilis and Sweating Sickness, and psychological peculiarities like the Dancing craze which saw several people dance themselves to exhaustion and death.
The chapter on women’s health was particularly noteworthy as the author’s passion shone through, telling us about birth procedures, menstruation and abortions.
The rest of the book I found problematic.
Much of the first three chapters read like ‘fact dumps,’ as if they were the author’s notes, rather than the finished text of the book. They seemed to include disjointed facts which didn’t seem to have any obvious relevance to telling the reader about ‘medieval medicine.’ For example we hear that Abbots had ‘Priors’ to help them run monasteries (10%). But we are not told how, or why, that is relevant to the book’s theme of ‘medieval medicine.’
The prose of the book also seemed clunky, with a lot of “it is believed that” or “it is claimed…” There were also some odd uses of English. Catholics and Orthodox Christians are described as “sects” (11%). Enemies on a battlefield are described as “opposing teams” (17%) and the signatories of Magna Carta are described as “founders” (26%). There were sentences which I didn’t understand. For example, “it is implausible to see how the medical community deemed menstruating women as a type of monster” (36%).
The overall shape of the book led to repetition and issues being fragmented across several chapters. For example, we hear about leprosy in chapter 4 (33%) and then we get a bit more on it in chapter 8 (77%). We hear about plagues being attributed to Miasmas in one chapter, and then we hear about the plague masks which doctors used in a different chapter.
The book would have been easier to follow if each chapter had a sharper focus and dealt “completely” with each issue, before moving on to a new set of issues for the next chapter.
I found the final chapter puzzling, as it was about death and torture. In the preface the author tells the reader that she includes it because… she just wanted to. This is an odd rationale, especially as there were many issues of medieval medicine that the book didn’t cover. For example we hear about eye issues such as ‘cataracts’ (56%) but then there is no information on optics and the developments of spectacles, which we can see being worn in late medieval pictures. I think the author would have been better keeping death and torture for a possible follow-up book; and instead focusing more sharply in this book on the issues of “medicine” which the title promises the reader.
Overall, I think that there was the potential for a good book, but the book needs far more editing and organisational structure if it is to achieve its potential.
(These are honest comments based on an Advanced Review Copy of the book).
I found chapters 4, 5 and 6 particularly interesting, as they gave good information about a range of medieval illnesses and attempts to treat them. We heard about plagues like the black death, illnesses like Syphilis and Sweating Sickness, and psychological peculiarities like the Dancing craze which saw several people dance themselves to exhaustion and death.
The chapter on women’s health was particularly noteworthy as the author’s passion shone through, telling us about birth procedures, menstruation and abortions.
The rest of the book I found problematic.
Much of the first three chapters read like ‘fact dumps,’ as if they were the author’s notes, rather than the finished text of the book. They seemed to include disjointed facts which didn’t seem to have any obvious relevance to telling the reader about ‘medieval medicine.’ For example we hear that Abbots had ‘Priors’ to help them run monasteries (10%). But we are not told how, or why, that is relevant to the book’s theme of ‘medieval medicine.’
The prose of the book also seemed clunky, with a lot of “it is believed that” or “it is claimed…” There were also some odd uses of English. Catholics and Orthodox Christians are described as “sects” (11%). Enemies on a battlefield are described as “opposing teams” (17%) and the signatories of Magna Carta are described as “founders” (26%). There were sentences which I didn’t understand. For example, “it is implausible to see how the medical community deemed menstruating women as a type of monster” (36%).
The overall shape of the book led to repetition and issues being fragmented across several chapters. For example, we hear about leprosy in chapter 4 (33%) and then we get a bit more on it in chapter 8 (77%). We hear about plagues being attributed to Miasmas in one chapter, and then we hear about the plague masks which doctors used in a different chapter.
The book would have been easier to follow if each chapter had a sharper focus and dealt “completely” with each issue, before moving on to a new set of issues for the next chapter.
I found the final chapter puzzling, as it was about death and torture. In the preface the author tells the reader that she includes it because… she just wanted to. This is an odd rationale, especially as there were many issues of medieval medicine that the book didn’t cover. For example we hear about eye issues such as ‘cataracts’ (56%) but then there is no information on optics and the developments of spectacles, which we can see being worn in late medieval pictures. I think the author would have been better keeping death and torture for a possible follow-up book; and instead focusing more sharply in this book on the issues of “medicine” which the title promises the reader.
Overall, I think that there was the potential for a good book, but the book needs far more editing and organisational structure if it is to achieve its potential.
(These are honest comments based on an Advanced Review Copy of the book).
October 3, 2021
This was a brilliant written account of medicine in the Middle Ages, from injuries in the battle field to the effects of different societal classes on the medical care you might receive. The book covered an awful lot and was a great foundation to the topic of medicine of the Middle Ages.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book and found it very engaging and entertaining to read. Some history books can sometimes feel a bit heavy going but this one was effortless.
The chapter on war wounds was a really interested read as well as the origins of hospitals and how they were founded. I loved reading about the history of different types of diseases and illnesses that plagued the people of the times. I found it really well researched and it was such an informative account on how treatments were performed, the sort of things physicians would have done and what they collectively thought at the time. I also found it so so interesting in the chapter on mental illnesses and how they were perceived and treated at the time, as well as many of the monarch and notable members of royalty that suffered from them.
Along with some notable figures and founding fathers of modern science and medicine, the book also covered torture and how not only were they striving to understand more about healing the body, but also about how they could inflict the most punishment and pain when it came to torture and punishing crime.
It’s amazing how much times have changed and looking back in it now, it’s so easy to think that they were misinformed idiots back then when it comes to medicine but it’s easy to forget they hadn’t yet founded germ theory and had no idea what the causes of sickness were. It’s certainly an eye opener!
This is a definite recommended read if you’re interested in medicine and history, I really enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to the publishers and author for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review!
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book and found it very engaging and entertaining to read. Some history books can sometimes feel a bit heavy going but this one was effortless.
The chapter on war wounds was a really interested read as well as the origins of hospitals and how they were founded. I loved reading about the history of different types of diseases and illnesses that plagued the people of the times. I found it really well researched and it was such an informative account on how treatments were performed, the sort of things physicians would have done and what they collectively thought at the time. I also found it so so interesting in the chapter on mental illnesses and how they were perceived and treated at the time, as well as many of the monarch and notable members of royalty that suffered from them.
Along with some notable figures and founding fathers of modern science and medicine, the book also covered torture and how not only were they striving to understand more about healing the body, but also about how they could inflict the most punishment and pain when it came to torture and punishing crime.
It’s amazing how much times have changed and looking back in it now, it’s so easy to think that they were misinformed idiots back then when it comes to medicine but it’s easy to forget they hadn’t yet founded germ theory and had no idea what the causes of sickness were. It’s certainly an eye opener!
This is a definite recommended read if you’re interested in medicine and history, I really enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to the publishers and author for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review!
October 22, 2021
This book was well written, informative and comprehensive.
For anyone interested in history, I would recommend reading this.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
For anyone interested in history, I would recommend reading this.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
October 24, 2024
One of the best educational pieces when it comes to medicine and the Middle Ages overall
October 30, 2021
Excellent, a thoroughly detailed and comprehensive examination of medicine of the time accompanied with background to the history and historical events. I found this book very informative and accessible and I learned a great deal even though I have read quite extensively about the era and medicine through time.
The level of detail was good and I found it sensitively written rather than gratuitously gory (although I did find the descriptions of the yuckier parts fascinating). There was minor repetition in parts but it did not detract from the overall narrative. Absolutely recommend this book.
The level of detail was good and I found it sensitively written rather than gratuitously gory (although I did find the descriptions of the yuckier parts fascinating). There was minor repetition in parts but it did not detract from the overall narrative. Absolutely recommend this book.
October 13, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.
I was fascinated by the title and summary of this book, and was eager to learn more about how medicine was practiced during the Middle Ages. However, there were definitely positives and negatives about this book.
The chapters on how the actual major illnesses of the times, such as the Black Plague, syphilis, and sweating sickness were treated were incredibly interesting, while at the same time horrifying to visualize people willingly undergo these treatments. It's easy to remain horrified with our grasp of germ theory and present-day understanding of illness and medical care. Also interesting was the information about childbirth, mental illness, leprosy, and dental care. It was especially refreshing to see a book talking about the Middle Ages that also included Jewish and Muslim medical practices, since the Catholic Church dominated so much of society at those times, but there were still minority groups who had their own practices.
However, there was an inordinate amount of focus spent on history and famous figures in history rather than medicine. The last chapter was solely devoted to torture, which wasn't really related to the medical aspect of the book, and some of it didn't even take place during the Middle Ages, as admitted by the author. I found it a bit confusing when the author would discuss events taking place sequentially and then backtrack from the 16th century to the 1350s, even though that time period had been covered just pages before. Additionally, the entire book needed some serious editing. There were sentence fragments and so. many. misspellings.
Overall, this was an interesting read, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I would have liked a bit more of a focus on the medicine and less on the historical battles and royal families (unless it was about the medical aspects and not the politics).
I was fascinated by the title and summary of this book, and was eager to learn more about how medicine was practiced during the Middle Ages. However, there were definitely positives and negatives about this book.
The chapters on how the actual major illnesses of the times, such as the Black Plague, syphilis, and sweating sickness were treated were incredibly interesting, while at the same time horrifying to visualize people willingly undergo these treatments. It's easy to remain horrified with our grasp of germ theory and present-day understanding of illness and medical care. Also interesting was the information about childbirth, mental illness, leprosy, and dental care. It was especially refreshing to see a book talking about the Middle Ages that also included Jewish and Muslim medical practices, since the Catholic Church dominated so much of society at those times, but there were still minority groups who had their own practices.
However, there was an inordinate amount of focus spent on history and famous figures in history rather than medicine. The last chapter was solely devoted to torture, which wasn't really related to the medical aspect of the book, and some of it didn't even take place during the Middle Ages, as admitted by the author. I found it a bit confusing when the author would discuss events taking place sequentially and then backtrack from the 16th century to the 1350s, even though that time period had been covered just pages before. Additionally, the entire book needed some serious editing. There were sentence fragments and so. many. misspellings.
Overall, this was an interesting read, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I would have liked a bit more of a focus on the medicine and less on the historical battles and royal families (unless it was about the medical aspects and not the politics).
October 6, 2021
I have always been interested by history yes even getting a grade A in O level, considering my English was only C and looked forward to a book on Medicine in the Middle Ages (5thc - 15c) , considering this period of history was also part of the dark ages which we now know was not in any way 'dark' much development in Medicine occurred within this period for example the use of honey to treat wound healing which is a recognised therapy today. Now on to the review, I read around the first 30% and felt the ground work of the book was disjointed and poorly structured with to many side distraction that did not reflect the title dare I say better editing and organising needed), in particular the definition of 'Medicine' is the science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment & prevalence of disease. the first part talked about individuals, their history, with little about Medicine. The first part I would give it a 2/5 but I am glad I carried one as I enjoyed the latter part of the book as we got to the nitty gritty of Medicine and the development of techniques, some very barbaric, to treatment specific illness (black plague, toothache) or effects of specific challenges for the time such as war (sword injuries, torture). I did wonder where some of the authors information came from, was it factual? but no need to work as an extensive bibliography and note section at the end has more than enough research and reading material to keep any historian happy for years. Not quite an academics book but one that the interested historian or lay person would enjoy reading and piquing ones interest. The latter half redeemed itself so an overall 3/5.
September 15, 2021
I was fascinated with the subject of this book. I loved learning about the Sleeping Sickness that plagued England during several time periods. The birthing girdles, the ways in which doctors and dentists would rely on plants and other remedies to try to help patients.
I enjoyed learning about medicine in the Middle Ages, it seemed that the book should have been focused more on just the United Kingdom, that was where the majority of the book was written about.
The other thing was that the book could have been better organized, a plague chapter, a womans chapter, other ailments, routine doctoring, education, etc. I had a hard time jumping between the chapters.
The final chapter was odd and should not have been included. I was curious as to why that chapter on TORTURE was included in the book, unless a doctor was administering the torture.
Overall, I learned new things from the book, but felt that the book needed a BETTER editor to help condense the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the to publisher for allowing me this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
I enjoyed learning about medicine in the Middle Ages, it seemed that the book should have been focused more on just the United Kingdom, that was where the majority of the book was written about.
The other thing was that the book could have been better organized, a plague chapter, a womans chapter, other ailments, routine doctoring, education, etc. I had a hard time jumping between the chapters.
The final chapter was odd and should not have been included. I was curious as to why that chapter on TORTURE was included in the book, unless a doctor was administering the torture.
Overall, I learned new things from the book, but felt that the book needed a BETTER editor to help condense the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the to publisher for allowing me this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
October 14, 2021
The period of human history that we know today as the Middle Ages spanned over a thousand years, and within that time, significant progress was made into understanding our world. Inventions and discoveries were made not just in Europe but throughout the known world during this time. One area of study that saw a lot of change was medical studies and understanding the human body. How did physicians heal the sick during the Middle Ages, and how did their experiences change their field of study? These questions and more are all explored in Juliana Cummings’ latest book, “Medicine in the Middle Ages: Surviving the Times.”
I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I like learning about aspects from the past, so when I saw this title, I was interested in reading it. I am not usually curious about medical information, but medieval medical history draws me in, so I hope to learn more.
To understand many of the theories of medieval medicine and their origins, we have to go back to the Greeks, primarily Galen and Hippocrates. Many people would be familiar with the works of Hippocrates. Still, they might not be familiar with Galen even if they know his Four Humours Theory, which was pivotal in understanding the human body. Cummings also includes the works of Arab scholars, European scholars, and physicians to help the audience understand how vast the world of medical history was during the Middle Ages.
Cummings does not stick with one medical treatment or disease during this time, and she covers everything from the Black Death, syphilis, and leprosy to pregnancy and injuries during battle. Reading about the theories and cures that physicians, apothecaries, and barber surgeons applied to heal the sick and dying was quite fascinating. Even though I did take a copious amount of notes while reading this book, I did feel like other books on this subject did a better job of focusing on the medicine part. This book introduces many theories and physicians to those unfamiliar with medical history, but it falls a bit flat with actual cures that they would have used. The ending of this book also needed a bit of work since it just ended abruptly. I think it would have been appropriate for Cummings to explain why the history of medieval medicine is important for readers to understand in the 21st century and beyond.
Overall, I think this was a decent introductory book into the vast world of medieval medical history. Cummings’s writing style is easy to follow, and she has done her research about this subject. If you want a solid introductory book into the world of medieval medical history, you should check out “Medicine in the Middle Ages: Surviving the Times” by Juliana Cummings.
I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I like learning about aspects from the past, so when I saw this title, I was interested in reading it. I am not usually curious about medical information, but medieval medical history draws me in, so I hope to learn more.
To understand many of the theories of medieval medicine and their origins, we have to go back to the Greeks, primarily Galen and Hippocrates. Many people would be familiar with the works of Hippocrates. Still, they might not be familiar with Galen even if they know his Four Humours Theory, which was pivotal in understanding the human body. Cummings also includes the works of Arab scholars, European scholars, and physicians to help the audience understand how vast the world of medical history was during the Middle Ages.
Cummings does not stick with one medical treatment or disease during this time, and she covers everything from the Black Death, syphilis, and leprosy to pregnancy and injuries during battle. Reading about the theories and cures that physicians, apothecaries, and barber surgeons applied to heal the sick and dying was quite fascinating. Even though I did take a copious amount of notes while reading this book, I did feel like other books on this subject did a better job of focusing on the medicine part. This book introduces many theories and physicians to those unfamiliar with medical history, but it falls a bit flat with actual cures that they would have used. The ending of this book also needed a bit of work since it just ended abruptly. I think it would have been appropriate for Cummings to explain why the history of medieval medicine is important for readers to understand in the 21st century and beyond.
Overall, I think this was a decent introductory book into the vast world of medieval medical history. Cummings’s writing style is easy to follow, and she has done her research about this subject. If you want a solid introductory book into the world of medieval medical history, you should check out “Medicine in the Middle Ages: Surviving the Times” by Juliana Cummings.
September 27, 2021
Medicine in the Middle Ages is exceptionally gripping and informative resplendent with many macabre and grotesque details of life and death in the era when life was all about survival in all social classes. The author's extensive research reveals the means of death of millions including well-known causes such as Black Death, syphilis, smallpox, dysentry, cholera, torture and war injuries but also lesser-known causes including St. Anthony's Fire and The Sweat. The Catholic church also played a huge role in how people viewed life and death, divine intervention and treatment of the mentally and physically sick.
The author also describes the contributions of Aristotle, Galen and Hippocrates to medicine. Autopsies were performed on criminals which provided far more information than textbook examples and theories. Roles of the butcher-surgeon are explained. Contagion was not yet known about so the world was rife with disease caused by filth and treatment of food, raw sewage (pattens only went so far), animal carcasses rotten meat thrown hither and thither, mould, fleas and lice. Childbirth was massively risky. Reeds on floors held years of disgusting remnants.
Not only are causes of sickness and death discussed but also treatments such as cupping, feathers in the throat, syrups, ointments, poultices, enemas, mercury and arsenic. No wonder patients frequently died of treatment rather than the original illness/injury. Some of the most interesting stories to me are those of tissue harvesting, worms in teeth, arrow distraction and rat torture. At the back of the book are illustrations.
History readers interested in anatomy, medicine and treatment please do read this compelling book. It is incredibly insightful and riveting. No matter how much you know, you will definitely learn more!
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this informative book.
The author also describes the contributions of Aristotle, Galen and Hippocrates to medicine. Autopsies were performed on criminals which provided far more information than textbook examples and theories. Roles of the butcher-surgeon are explained. Contagion was not yet known about so the world was rife with disease caused by filth and treatment of food, raw sewage (pattens only went so far), animal carcasses rotten meat thrown hither and thither, mould, fleas and lice. Childbirth was massively risky. Reeds on floors held years of disgusting remnants.
Not only are causes of sickness and death discussed but also treatments such as cupping, feathers in the throat, syrups, ointments, poultices, enemas, mercury and arsenic. No wonder patients frequently died of treatment rather than the original illness/injury. Some of the most interesting stories to me are those of tissue harvesting, worms in teeth, arrow distraction and rat torture. At the back of the book are illustrations.
History readers interested in anatomy, medicine and treatment please do read this compelling book. It is incredibly insightful and riveting. No matter how much you know, you will definitely learn more!
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this informative book.
October 8, 2021
Medicine in the Middle Ages: Surviving the Times by Juliana Cummings is a very readable and informative account of both life and medicine during that period.
I know that some readers want an uncontextualized account of what medicine was like during the time, but without some foundation, without understanding how the people thought about life, on Earth and in the hereafter, it is hard to fully grasp some of the, to us, crazy things that passed for medical procedures. So while the first part of the book is less about medicine and more about how and why life was the way it was, it is essential for those who want more than just a curiosity book about peculiar medieval medicine. This is a history book, not a curiosity book.
That said, once that foundation has been laid is when the real interesting part of the book begins. From war wounds to women's health we are taken through what was done, why, and how effective it was, or wasn't. This is fascinating even if you have some previous knowledge.
The writing is good and Cummings makes each point clearly and ties it into the society within which it existed. In other words, while we still are reading this with our 21st century knowledge of medicine and science, we are also reminded that these practitioners lived in very different times with very different ways of accounting for illnesses and injuries. Keeping that in mind helps us to appreciate what they did manage to get right.
I would recommend this to readers who like to read about specific aspects of life in the middle ages but with some contextualization. As long as you like history with your science you will be pleased. If you just want stories about medical beliefs and procedures without the history around them, the very first part of the book, the history part, may not be as interesting to you, but read it anyway, it will enrich your reading of the rest of the book.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
I know that some readers want an uncontextualized account of what medicine was like during the time, but without some foundation, without understanding how the people thought about life, on Earth and in the hereafter, it is hard to fully grasp some of the, to us, crazy things that passed for medical procedures. So while the first part of the book is less about medicine and more about how and why life was the way it was, it is essential for those who want more than just a curiosity book about peculiar medieval medicine. This is a history book, not a curiosity book.
That said, once that foundation has been laid is when the real interesting part of the book begins. From war wounds to women's health we are taken through what was done, why, and how effective it was, or wasn't. This is fascinating even if you have some previous knowledge.
The writing is good and Cummings makes each point clearly and ties it into the society within which it existed. In other words, while we still are reading this with our 21st century knowledge of medicine and science, we are also reminded that these practitioners lived in very different times with very different ways of accounting for illnesses and injuries. Keeping that in mind helps us to appreciate what they did manage to get right.
I would recommend this to readers who like to read about specific aspects of life in the middle ages but with some contextualization. As long as you like history with your science you will be pleased. If you just want stories about medical beliefs and procedures without the history around them, the very first part of the book, the history part, may not be as interesting to you, but read it anyway, it will enrich your reading of the rest of the book.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
March 8, 2022
Timely Take-Aways for Life-Long Learning
New Takes on Medieval Life
New works of nonfiction bust myths about the people and progress of the Middle Ages by providing new perspectives on this often misunderstood time period.
Medicine in the Middle Ages: Surviving the Times
Juliana Cummings, Dec 2021, Pen and Sword History
Themes: Medical history, Middle Ages, Medieval
MEDICINE IN THE MIDDLE AGES describes the perils of medieval life and how these people approached healing. Rooted in the work of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, medieval medicine was linked to both the Catholic Church and the social status of patients. Explore the birth of hospitals and the horrors of war.
Take-aways: Educators will find this book useful in helping their students understand the challenges faced by both the rich and poor of the middle ages. From science and social studies to history, this book takes a multi-disciplinary approach to exploring the connection among religion, torture, plagues, medicine, and disease.
........
Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb
New Takes on Medieval Life
New works of nonfiction bust myths about the people and progress of the Middle Ages by providing new perspectives on this often misunderstood time period.
Medicine in the Middle Ages: Surviving the Times
Juliana Cummings, Dec 2021, Pen and Sword History
Themes: Medical history, Middle Ages, Medieval
MEDICINE IN THE MIDDLE AGES describes the perils of medieval life and how these people approached healing. Rooted in the work of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, medieval medicine was linked to both the Catholic Church and the social status of patients. Explore the birth of hospitals and the horrors of war.
Take-aways: Educators will find this book useful in helping their students understand the challenges faced by both the rich and poor of the middle ages. From science and social studies to history, this book takes a multi-disciplinary approach to exploring the connection among religion, torture, plagues, medicine, and disease.
........
Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb
October 8, 2021
As a healthcare professional who is drawn to science and history, I was intrigued by the title and curious to get my hands on a copy of Medicine in the Middle Ages. Give yourself some time to relish in all the historical details provided. This treasure reads a lot like a textbook, but without the dryness. I would have enjoyed some graphics interspersed through the pages, but my mind’s eye conjured up some good images based on the details provided. I love seeing the progression of medicine and the thought processes and rationales for why things were done the way they were done. Cummings does justice to the Middle Ages of Medicine.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.
May 11, 2022
Medicine in the Middle Ages was a fabulous read! I had a professor who used to laugh when discussing medical practices in medieval times during a course, and as I read through this book, I got a deeper understanding as to why he got such a chuckle.
Now, if you have a weak stomach, there are some areas of this book that will bother you, but I absolutely loved reading through this one! It was fabulous! The author did a great job and was able to give a full picture, the good, the bad, and the ugly of the medical practices of the time.
I definitely recommend reading through this book, as you will have a new appreciation for medical services today.
Now, if you have a weak stomach, there are some areas of this book that will bother you, but I absolutely loved reading through this one! It was fabulous! The author did a great job and was able to give a full picture, the good, the bad, and the ugly of the medical practices of the time.
I definitely recommend reading through this book, as you will have a new appreciation for medical services today.
September 30, 2021
I enjoyed this book. I found it interesting and well written. I also enjoyed the author’s perspectives. At times the story takes some detours, some interesting, some not. The most egregious of these was the final chapter, on the culture of death. There is also a lot of discussion of religion, which in a way I found distracting, because more could have been written about what at the time was actual medicine. Overall, though, this book is well worth reading. Thank you to Netgalley and Pen & Sword History for the advance reader copy.
December 12, 2021
A millennia of medicine in one package! I have a degree that includes the History of Medicine so this was a great refresher read for me. I would say it would suit the interested amateur who has a knowledge of the basics of Medicine or History.
From Arabia, to Europe and the West in later centuries the book is well balanced and gives equal weight to all practitioners and types of medicine.
Easy enough to read and managed to get across the information without bogging itself down in medical jargon.
From Arabia, to Europe and the West in later centuries the book is well balanced and gives equal weight to all practitioners and types of medicine.
Easy enough to read and managed to get across the information without bogging itself down in medical jargon.
July 11, 2022
This book gave me everything I was looking for and more! Needless to say, the subject is absolutely fascinating, and the unique research that went into completing this work is interesting, and fascinating and gives a great overview.
Ancient Egypt and Greece had put the bases of medicine and as the Dark ages came, surely some of that knowledge was lost, but on the other hand, people regained a more hands-on approach with all the plagues sweeping through the centuries.
Ancient Egypt and Greece had put the bases of medicine and as the Dark ages came, surely some of that knowledge was lost, but on the other hand, people regained a more hands-on approach with all the plagues sweeping through the centuries.
September 26, 2021
What a fascinating look at medicine from the time of the Greeks and Hippocrates all the way through the Middle Ages. I loved learning all the ways in which humors spread. The author did a famous job keeping the reading engaged while learning of the filthy ways on which people lived during these times.
November 12, 2021
I found it interesting and informative. There's plenty of information (too much at times) but I learned something new.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
October 11, 2021
This was a good book! It offered a slice of history in a interesting and engaging way. I feel like I learnt a lot of history from reading it and it didn’t even feel like hard work - it was enjoyable!
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