Medieval Public Health

What was public health like in medieval times?

Public health in medieval times was a lot worse than it is today. However, the health and cleanliness of the people depended on whether you were living in a town or in a monastery.

Why was public health bad in medieval times?

People didn't have an understanding of the connection between germs and their link to disease and infection.

What was public health like in medieval towns?

Public health in towns was generally bad due to 5 key reasons:

• ❖ Many people used the rivers near towns to remove their waste and sewage. This is also where some people got their water from.
• ❖ Sometimes people would throw their waste onto the streets.
• ❖ There were privies with cesspits located beneath them in many towns and some houses. They would be annually cleaned by gong farmers; however the waste could pollute any nearby river if the cesspits were over-filled or overflowed.
• ❖ If there was a lot of rain the cesspits might overflow onto the streets.
• ❖ The streets in the poorer areas of towns would smell because they were dirtied by human and animal waste.

What was public health like for wealthy people in medieval towns?

Wealthier people generally had better public health for 3 main reasons:

• ❖ They could afford to have the areas around their house cleaned by servants.
• ❖ Some may have been lucky to be near an elaborate water supply system built by the Romans.
• ❖ They were more likely to have their own privies.

How was public health in medieval towns improved?

Public health in medieval towns was improved to a certain extent in 4 main ways:

• ❖ There were restrictions, put in place by some local craft guilds, on where certain businesses could operate. This is because some businesses, like leather tanneries and butchers, produced hazardous waste which they disposed of in nearby rivers which polluted the water.
• ❖ In 1371, the slaughter of large animals inside the walls of London was banned by the mayor.
• ❖ in 1388, a law was passed by Parliament which fined people £20 for throwing waste into ponds and rivers.
• ❖ In 1466, a law was passed in Worcester that stated that the entrails and blood of butchered animals had to be carried away the same day.
• ❖ In 1421, the Mayor of Coventry issued a proclamation that on every Saturday, everyone was responsible for cleaning in front of their house or they would be fined 12p.

What was public health like in a medieval monastery?

Public health in monasteries was better than that in towns.

Why was public health better in a medieval monastery?

Conditions in monasteries were better because:

• ❖ They were isolated.
• ❖ They were located near rivers.
• ❖ Fresh water was piped to the washing facilities in the monasteries.
• ❖ They had filtration systems that removed dirt from water.
• ❖ They had lavatoriums which were facilities for washing.
• ❖ Their privies were regularly emptied and the waste used as manure.
• ❖ It was possible to use local river water to 'flush' out the privies and cesspits in some monasteries.
• ❖ Monks believed that cleanliness is next to godliness, and that being clean was a sign of spirituality.
• ❖ Monks were instructed to have baths - sometimes every month or twice a year at Easter and Christmas.
• ❖ Twice a week, the monks would wash their feet, heads and faces in a religious ceremony.
• ❖ They had infirmaries.

Why did monasteries have better public health than towns?

Monasteries were able to have better public health conditions than towns for 6 key reasons:

• ❖ People paid money and gave land to these institutions in return for prayers and forgiveness from sins which made monasteries very wealthy.
• ❖ A considerable amount of profit was created from the production of wool by monasteries.
• ❖ Monasteries had extensive libraries containing medical books and therefore the monks were knowledgeable about medicine and health.
• ❖ Monks were disciplined and would follow the strict rules and routines of the monasteries.
• ❖ They had better health facilities, such as access to water, medicines, and infirmaries, compared to towns.
• ❖ They were were less exposed to diseases or epidemics, like the plague, because of their isolated locations.