{"id":3805,"date":"2018-06-30T09:55:36","date_gmt":"2018-06-30T09:55:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?page_id=3805"},"modified":"2026-06-18T14:10:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T14:10:51","slug":"medieval-surgery","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/medicine-through-time\/medieval-medicine-was-it-all-plagues-and-pestilence\/medieval-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"Medieval Surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"

During medieval times Surgery and knowledge of the Anatomy developed as dissection was allowed. Doctors would, as part of their training, be lectured on the theories of Galen<\/a> and often a dissection would form part of this teaching. However it was a demonstrator, rather than the doctor, who performed this and often mistakes would be made or inaccuracies blamed upon poor workmanship rather than ill-informed theories: meaning that for a long time the anatomical works of Galen and the Islamic physicians went unchallenged in Western Europe.<\/p>\n

\"Medieval<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Surgery during the Medieval Era<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

The age-old problem of unsuccessful surgery was however partially dealt with. Doctors recognised that infection and pain were the primary causes of death during surgery. To combat this they started to use wine as an antiseptic and drugs to ease pain. Surgery was still limited to the removal of cysts, cataracts and minor operations to cure wounds, a procedure which developed as a result of conflicts (although each time doctors worked out how to remove a type of arrowhead\u00a0from the body a new type of arrow was introduced).<\/p>\n

Medieval Medicine<\/a> – Medieval Surgery<\/a> – Change and Continuity in Medieval Medicine<\/a> – The Black Death<\/a><\/p>\n

Our\u00a0Medieval Medicine simulation<\/a>\u00a0can be found in our\u00a0teacher resource centre<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Medicine Through time<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Resources for Medicine Through Time<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Prehistoric Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Ancient Egyptian Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Ancient Greek Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Medicine in the Roman Empire<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Medieval Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Renaissance Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Public Health in the Industrial Revolution<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Fight against infectious disease<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Modern Medicine<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During medieval times Surgery and knowledge of the Anatomy developed as dissection was allowed. Doctors would, as part of their training, be lectured on the theories of Galen and often a dissection would form part of this teaching. However it was a demonstrator, rather than the doctor, who performed this and often mistakes would be… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3797,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3805","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t