Preventing Disease in the Medieval Period

During the medieval period, treatments for diseases were often unreliable, leading people to focus heavily on preventing illness. A variety of methods were employed to stop the spread of diseases, ranging from religious practices to cleaning efforts. Given the limited understanding of disease transmission, much of the prevention was based on religious beliefs, superstitions, and early theories like the miasma theory.

Religious Actions

In the medieval period, religion played a central role in how people understood and dealt with disease. Many believed that illness was a punishment for sin, and therefore, religious actions were seen as a way to prevent disease or seek divine forgiveness.

• Living a Life Free from Sin: It was believed that living in a morally pure way would help prevent illness. People thought that sin could attract disease, and therefore, leading a virtuous life was considered essential for good health.
• Attending Church Services and Processions: Religious ceremonies were thought to help protect individuals and communities from disease. By attending church services and processions, people hoped to gain God's favour and prevent illness from affecting them.
• Prayer: People prayed to God, asking for His forgiveness and mercy. This was often seen as a way of showing devotion and seeking divine protection from disease.
• Pilgrimages: Pilgrims travelled to sacred sites, believing that doing so would help them avoid illness or heal from diseases. Pilgrimages were not only religious journeys but also a way for people to seek spiritual protection.
• Wearing Magical or Religious Charms: To ward off disease, some people wore charms or amulets that were believed to have protective powers. These charms were often made from religious symbols or sacred materials.
• Fasting and Flagellation: Some people believed that fasting (abstaining from food) and flagellation (whipping themselves) were ways to show God their repentance for sins. These acts of self-discipline were thought to earn divine favour and prevent illness, as it was believed that suffering could bring people closer to God.
• Suffering as a Path to Salvation: In Christianity, suffering was often seen as a way to connect with the suffering of Christ. Pilgrimages, fasting, and flagellation were all seen as ways to atone for sins through suffering, just as Christ had endured suffering during His crucifixion.

Purifying the Air (Miasma Theory)

One of the prevailing medical beliefs in medieval England was the miasma theory, which suggested that bad air caused illness. People believed that disease was spread through the presence of foul air or vapours, often arising from stagnant water, decaying waste, or unclean environments.

• Cleaning the Streets: To purify the air, people in medieval towns worked hard to clean the streets, believing that fresh air would help prevent disease. Regular cleaning and maintenance were seen as essential for ensuring that no harmful miasma could accumulate.
• Carrying Posies: To avoid breathing in bad air, people would carry posies (small bunches of flowers and herbs) that were thought to have a pleasant, protective scent. It was believed that these sweet-smelling plants would ward off the bad smells associated with miasma.
• Lighting Fires: Another common method to purify the air was to light fires. People believed that burning substances could "cleanse" the air of harmful vapours. In some cases, herbs were burned to release fragrances thought to have medicinal properties that could protect against disease.
• Ringing Bells or Allowing Birds to Fly: To keep the air circulating and prevent stagnant, foul-smelling air from accumulating, some people rang bells or allowed birds to fly around their homes. It was believed that movement in the air helped to drive out miasma and improve the air quality.

Town Cleanliness and Waste Management

Medieval towns were often overcrowded and unsanitary, which made it difficult to prevent the spread of disease. However, there were efforts to improve cleanliness and control waste, especially in larger towns and cities.

• Employing Rakers: In some towns, officials employed rakers to ensure that the streets were kept clean. These workers would clear rubbish and filth from the streets to prevent it from accumulating and creating health hazards.
• Punishing People Who Threw Waste into the Streets: Waste was not just ordinary rubbish but could include human excrement, which contributed to the spread of disease. Authorities tried to control this by issuing fines or punishments for those who threw waste into the streets.
• Butchers' Waste Disposal: Butchers were required to dispose of animal waste outside the town or city walls to keep the streets clean and reduce the risk of disease. This was an early form of waste management to limit contamination.
• Building Public Latrines: Some medieval towns and cities built public latrines to manage human waste more effectively. These facilities were an attempt to create a more sanitary environment and reduce the spread of disease, particularly in densely populated areas.

Other Methods of Prevention

Aside from religious actions and street cleaning, people in the medieval period were also advised on basic practices to maintain their health. These were typically recommended by the Church or physicians, who believed that maintaining balance in the body was key to avoiding illness.

• Regular Washing: People were advised to wash regularly as a means of maintaining hygiene. While bathing was not common for everyone, especially among the poor, wealthier individuals had access to public baths where they could cleanse themselves.
• Exercise and Rest: To balance the four humours (the theory that the body was composed of four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile), people were encouraged to exercise and rest. This was believed to help keep the humours in harmony, thus preventing illness and maintaining good health.
• Balancing the Humours: Physicians advised people to adopt a balanced lifestyle, including careful eating habits, exercise, and appropriate rest. These practices were seen as crucial for maintaining health and avoiding the onset of disease, as the imbalance of the four humours was believed to be a key cause of illness.

Conclusion

In the medieval period, preventing disease was seen as a matter of religious devotion, cleanliness, and maintaining bodily balance. While the lack of scientific understanding meant that many of these methods were ineffective, they reflected the best knowledge available at the time. People relied on religious actions, cleanliness, and the belief in miasma to avoid illness, and some of these practices, such as street cleaning and basic hygiene, helped to reduce the spread of certain diseases. Today, while we understand the true causes of disease, many of these early methods laid the foundation for modern public health efforts.