Medieval Medicine:On the Battlefield and at Home

Jake T. VreelandDepartment of History

State University of New York, College at Oneonta

ToolsSurgeons often face wounds that would require them to create new tools that would be

particularly unique to the technology of warfare. Often these devices would arise out of

quick thinking for solutions to life threating problems. These devices would not only save

lives but also evolve into the tools we use today.

Surgeons and Barber Surgeons:Surgical texts were often attributed to the work of universities, stemming from the

church. Surgery at this time was still rather primitive as it was in its infancy but

began to address issues such as anatomy and even the philosophical questions of

whether a man could be saved and should be saved. Surgeons were often held in

bad light at the opening days of their practice. The church held the belief that the

mutilation of the body was a grievous sin and some popes went as far as to order

excommunication in the case of crusaders attempting to bring home the bones of

fallen brothers. However, the church did allow physicians to study patients with

fatal wounds. It is however here in the crusades where we see surgery begin to rise

in reputation. With this surge in reputation and interest, medicine would become an

ever increasingly studies subject at the university level. Thus, we have a foot in the

door if you will. Following this the study of surgery followed and eventually would

be tolerated by the Church, especially in the case of caesarian sections. As the

knowledge of the human anatomy grew, surgeons and barber surgeons alike

began to find their way to the battlefield. The educated and skilled surgeons often

accompanied nobles and men who could afford them. While, barber surgeons often

followed the army and provided services in exchange for pay and also to further

expand their practice and knowledge of surgery.

Famous Surgeons & Advances

John Bradmore – John Bradmore is most famously known for extracting an arrow from

the head of the Black Prince, the future King of England, Henry V. The situation was

dire as the arrow had lodged itself underneath the left eye of the Black Prince and

found itself near the brainstem and surrounded by arteries. To further complicate the

problem, the bodkin had broken off and the shaft of the arrow was no longer attached.

Bradmore had invented a device with two threaded tongs with a center theaded throng

which more or less acted as a screw and could pull the arrowhead out by essentially

pulling it up by counterclockwise turning.

Ambroise Pare- Ambroise Pare was a French barber surgeon is considered one of the

fathers of surgery by many. His unintentional use of the scientific method, by testing

different treatments on the same injuries in varying groups of soldiers allowed him to

find new ways to treat wounds instead of the traditional methods of cauterizing wounds.

Ambroise Pare instead adopted older Roman methods of applying turpentine to wounds

which would allow them to seal, often producing a far greater positive outcome than

boiling oil had produced. His work with ligature of arteries in opposition to cauterizing

wounds and amputations also saw greater success.

Splints and Mending Bones -The three objectives of surgery were to heal what was

broken, what had become unnaturally joined, and to remove whatever was superfluous.

So it is here we begin to see surgeons addressing issues such as broken bones and

the creation of splits to put on legs and arms that were broken.

PTSD- It is very possible that knights of the medieval ages experienced PTSD.

These knights were no different psychology in make-up than we are today. Some

doctors and historians have begun studying documents written by crusaders in order to

prove that very point. “Previously, medieval texts were read as worshiping heroes and

glorifying violence. But in the light of modern military psychology we can see the mental

cost to the knights of their participation in the gruesome and extremely violent wars in

the Middle Ages.” - Thomas Heebøll-Holm of the SAXO Institute at the University of

Copenhagen:

Art

Art could be used as a sort of reference for early surgeons who were inexperienced in

regards to dealing with soldiers on the field.

The History of Battlefield Medicine

Military medicine or battlefield medicine has always been aimed

at improving the lives of the men and women we send into

harms way. As the battlefield is often not accredited to learning,

as it often stands in opposition of a higher thinking at times. It

is here we see where some of the greatest advances in common

medicine and surgery stem from conflicts of the battlefield.

Quick thinking surgeons would have to create innovative and

first of their kind tools, where the stakes were most certainly at

their highest. Fates of battles, kings, and even kingdoms could

hang in the balance depending on the outcome. As the church

began to promote education and ancient anatomical texts

began to resurface, the desire to learn more about medicine

began to increase. It is here where we begin to see medicine

come into its own and gradually evolve into the realm of military

medicine we see today, an aspect in itself an essential part of

any military.

Archeological Evidence

Art such as

“Wound Man”

located on the

right, was

published in

1492. This

diagram laid out

the different

battlefield

injuries and

their treatment.

Latin Manuscript of the Albucasis

Students studying at University

A tool used to remove arrows and cut away flesh

-Various tools used to remove arrows cleanly and to cut through muscle, in order to get to the bone.

This skeletal remain of a soldier from the Battle of Towton. The left side of the mandible has a healed blade injury which occurred in a previous violent encounter. However, rather obviously the least of his problems was the knife. The crushing wound to the left side of the face was likely caused by a pole-axe or another weapon meant at dealing crushing blows. This image was provided by the University of Bradford, UK.

A recreation of the arrow that lodged itself in the Black Prince’s skull

Durham Cathedral, and the Committee for Student Research for their financial support.

Talisa Stark the closest representation of a pop culture barber surgeon