1.5.1
Towns & Monasteries
Towns – Bad Living Conditions
Towns – Bad Living Conditions
Public health conditions in medieval towns were worse than public health conditions in Roman times and today.
Government and London
Government and London
- The centralised organisation of Ancient Rome had vanished as regions fragmented.
- This contributed to worse public health standards
- The Thames became so dirty that the “Great Conduit” was built to bring drinking water into the City of London. Wardens protected and repaired pipes to keep the supply clean.
- The city also tried to keep streets clean and to improve the sewage problems.
Population growth
Population growth
- The unsanitary conditions were partly because of population growth and urbanisation.
- More people lived in towns, so towns became crowded.
- People lived close together in houses made of wood and overcrowding meant that disease spread quickly.
Lack of understanding
Lack of understanding
- Towns were not clean because people did not know that dirt could cause disease and nobody understood germs or bacteria.
- Miasma (bad air) was still believed to be the cause of illness.
- Towns smelt bad, people then got ill so people thought the bad air (smells) made people ill.
Water and sewage
Water and sewage
- Rivers were used for sewage as well as for drinking water. This meant that there was a lack of clean water.
- Lots of towns didn’t have clean water or sewage systems. Often there weren’t the systems of aqueducts and sewage that the Romans had used.
- Cesspits were used for people to throw their liquid waste and sewage into.
Merchants and businesses
Merchants and businesses
- Houses were also used for business by butchers and barbers.
- Their waste and rubbish was often thrown in rivers and the street.
Monasteries – Healthier Living Conditions
Monasteries – Healthier Living Conditions
Monasteries generally had better hygiene than towns. Monasteries had a more advanced system which could separate wastage and drinking water.
Drinking water and sewage
Drinking water and sewage
- Monasteries had toilets and clean running water.
- Latrines are toilets. They were built in a different building to the rest of the monastery.
- They were usually built over running water so that any waste or sewage was taken away.
- They implemented systems to separate drinking water and sewage.
Hospitals and infirmaries
Hospitals and infirmaries
- Monasteries had small infirmaries to look after the sick.
- Some monasteries cared for poor locals who had no access to medical treatment elsewhere.
- Monasteries grew herbs in their gardens to help treat patients.
Why did monasteries have better living conditions?
Why did monasteries have better living conditions?
- Monasteries had better hygiene levels for several reasons:
- Money
- Knowledge and understanding
- Population density
- Abbots
Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding
- Monks were literate and could read books which explained the importance of hygiene.
- Being well-educated meant that monks could debate the merits of hygiene and other things.
- They understood the importance of separating water and that a healthy lifestyle rested on a good diet and sleep.
Money and population density
Money and population density
- Monasteries had enough money to build and maintain their facilities.
- They received donations and patronage from wealthy people.
- Monasteries usually had fewer people (monks) living inside them. Whereas in towns, people were crammed together so disease spread easily.
- This helped to make monasteries healthier places.
Abbots
Abbots
- Monasteries were controlled by 1 person – the Abbot.
- One person could enforce rules on the whole monastery.
- It is a lot easier to enforce rules with 1 leader than in a town with thousands of individuals who may not know each other.
1Medicine Stands Still
1.1Ancient Egyptian Approaches to Medicine
1.2Ancient Greek Medicine
1.3Medieval Medicine
1.4Religion & Medicine
1.5Public Health in the Middle Ages
2The Beginnings of Change
2.1The Impact of the Renaissance on Britain
2.2Treating Illnesses in the Renaissance
3A Revolution in Medicine
3.1The Development of Germ Theory & its Impact
3.2A Revolution in Surgery
4Modern Medicine
4.1Modern Treatment of Disease
4.2New Diseases & Treatments in the 20th Century
5Themes in Public Health
Jump to other topics
1Medicine Stands Still
1.1Ancient Egyptian Approaches to Medicine
1.2Ancient Greek Medicine
1.3Medieval Medicine
1.4Religion & Medicine
1.5Public Health in the Middle Ages
2The Beginnings of Change
2.1The Impact of the Renaissance on Britain
2.2Treating Illnesses in the Renaissance
3A Revolution in Medicine
3.1The Development of Germ Theory & its Impact
3.2A Revolution in Surgery
4Modern Medicine
4.1Modern Treatment of Disease
4.2New Diseases & Treatments in the 20th Century
5Themes in Public Health
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