ABSTRACT
In medieval times, illness was believed to be a punishment for sins, and God was reckoned to be the divine physician who sent sickness or healing, depending on his will. Consequently, medical treatment was more concerned with caring for the sick, especially their souls, than with curing them. From the Roman Church’s point of view, this was best done by following the recommendations from the church by praying and living a holy lifestyle.
The early Middle Ages, or Dark Ages, started when invasions broke up Western Europe into small territories run by feudal lords. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the study of medicine stopped. Individuals lived with little or no personal hygiene. Epidemics of smallpox, typhus, and plague became part of people’s lives. Monks and priests stressed prayer to treat illness and disease.
