During outbreaks of the plague, doctors attempted various methods to treat patients, primarily based on the prevailing medical understanding of the time, which often involved the humoral theory of medicine. These attempts ranged from the widely accepted to the bizarre, reflecting a desperate struggle against a devastating disease.
Bloodletting and the Humoral Theory
One of the most popular and frequently attempted cures for the plague was bloodletting. Physicians believed that diseases, including the plague, were caused by an imbalance in the body's four humors: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. According to this theory, the plague was thought to be caused by an excess of "bad blood" or corrupted humors.
To correct this imbalance, doctors often used various methods to remove blood from the patient's body. A common technique involved the use of leeches. It was thought that these leeches would draw out the "bad blood" believed to be causing the disease, thereby leaving the "good blood" in the body and restoring health. Other methods included making small incisions with a lancet or applying cupping glasses to draw blood to the surface before making an incision.
Other Common Medical Approaches
Beyond bloodletting, medieval doctors employed a range of other methods, often with little to no scientific basis, but rooted in the accepted medical or folk practices of the era.
Lancing and Poultices
- Lancing Buboes: A characteristic symptom of the bubonic plague was the appearance of painful, swollen lymph nodes called buboes. Doctors often attempted to drain these buboes by lancing them with a knife or cauterizing them. The belief was that by releasing the pus, the "poison" within the body would be expelled.
- Applying Poultices: After lancing, various poultices were applied to the open wounds. These concoctions often included a mix of herbs, animal excrement, clay, or even ground precious stones. For example, some poultices might have contained dried toad, arsenic, or even a paste of tree resin, roots, and human excrement. The intention was to draw out the disease or disinfect the wound, though many ingredients were ineffective or harmful.
Herbal Remedies and Aromatics
- Herbal Concoctions: Doctors prescribed a vast array of herbal remedies, often in the form of teas, tinctures, or inhaled fumes. Herbs like rue, mint, rosemary, and lavender were commonly used. These were believed to have purifying properties or to strengthen the body against the miasma (bad air) thought to cause the plague.
- Aromatic Protection: Physicians and others often carried or wore strong-smelling substances, such as posies of flowers and herbs (hence "nosegays"), or spices like myrrh and frankincense. It was thought that these powerful scents could ward off the "bad air" or miasma believed to carry the disease. Incense was also burned in patient rooms for this purpose.
Dietary and Lifestyle Prescriptions
Doctors often advised specific diets and lifestyle changes. Patients might be encouraged to consume certain foods or drinks, avoid others, or move to areas with "cleaner" air. Fasting was sometimes recommended, while other times, rich broths or wines were prescribed as fortifiers.
Bizarre and Superstitious Practices
The desperation of the times also led to a variety of less conventional or superstitious treatments attempted by both doctors and folk healers.
- Urine Therapy: Some physicians advocated for drinking or bathing in human urine, believing it had purifying qualities.
- Sweating and Purging: Inducing heavy sweating through exercise, hot compresses, or certain herbs was common, as was purging (vomiting or diarrhea) using strong emetics and laxatives, all intended to expel the disease.
- "Rubbing the Patient with a Live Chicken": One particularly odd practice involved strapping a live chicken (often plucked) to the buboes, believing the chicken would draw out the sickness from the body.
Summary of Plague Treatment Attempts
Here's a quick overview of some common attempts by doctors to treat the plague:
| Treatment Attempt | Underlying Belief/Method |
|---|---|
| Bloodletting | Remove "bad blood" causing disease; often used leeches or lancets. |
| Lancing Buboes | Drain pus from swollen lymph nodes to release "poison." |
| Poultices | Apply mixtures of herbs, animal products, or minerals to wounds to draw out sickness. |
| Herbal Remedies | Use specific plants (e.g., rue, mint) for their purifying or strengthening properties. |
| Aromatic Inhalation | Use strong scents (e.g., flowers, spices) to ward off "bad air" (miasma). |
| Dietary Changes | Prescribe specific foods or avoidance of others to restore bodily balance. |
| Purging/Sweating | Induce vomiting, diarrhea, or heavy sweating to expel the disease from the body. |
| Bizarre Practices | Methods like urine therapy or applying live animals, driven by desperation or superstition. |
These diverse attempts highlight the limited understanding of disease causation and treatment in the pre-modern era, yet they represent the persistent efforts of doctors to combat the terrifying spread of the plague. For more on historical medicine, explore resources from institutions like the National Library of Medicine or academic historical archives.
