The Role Of Doctors In The Elizabethan Era

Doctors and Medical Treatments of the Elizabethan Era

The Elizabethan customs were based on the knowledge from the teachings of Hippocrates and Aristotle (Patterson, White). The beliefs were widely accepted. The emphasis on magic and astrology, however, lessened in Elizabethan times. Some physicians did still believe if the planets were not aligned, an individual would get sick. The most common belief was the four humours and the four elements. Being treated for these diseases in an Elizabethan hospital was not like it is today. They also had different ranks of individuals that were able to treat patients. The highest and most educated rank was a physician. In spite of the fact that physicians were the highest ranked, patients looked to lower

Doctors believed the human body was part of the universe, so they used elements for each humour, “Yellow bile was the equivalent of fire. Phlegm was the equivalent of water. Black bile was the equivalent of earth and blood was the equivalent of air”(“Shakespearean and Elizabethan Medicine”). Also, because of their beliefs and lack of knowledge on serious medical conditions, most severe cases were not treated accurately. Some doctors believed if a person broke a bone, then it was never supposed to be used again because the accident was based from many sins of the soul (“Shakespearean and Elizabethan Medicine”). The doctors also believed in completely covering their body when treating a patient. It was thought that if they wore boots, gloves, masks and robes, then they would be protected from the diseases. They also wore an amulet around their waste, filled with dried blood and ground up toads (Alchin). Although this may seem out of the ordinary today, these precautions were something an Elizabethan doctor did not go

However, some aspects can be compared to today’s medicine. The apothecaries of the Elizabethan era can be compared to today’s pharmacists. The apothecary’s main role in the medical system was to provide drugs to the patient, much like a pharmacist (Patterson, White). Also, barbers can be compared to today’s nurses. The barbers were not allowed to perform certain medical procedures and their practices mainly consisted of only tooth-pulling and bloodletting (Patterson, White). In today’s time, nurses are allowed to do much more than draw blood and pull teeth, but are not allowed to perform as many procedures as a doctor. In addition, we still use natural substances as medication today. Then, “lung afflictions such as pneumonia and bronchitis were treated by liquorice and comfrey,” which is still used in bronchitis medicines that are used today (Patterson, White). Also, “stomach aches were treated with wormwood, mint, and balm,” which still holds true today, as many people chew mint gum when they have an upset stomach. Although the medical treatments and doctorate procedures were different from our present day beliefs, the Elizabethan era greatly influenced the medical