This course explores how medicine developed in Europe between 1100-1700. How did medieval and early modern people think about the body and the causes of disease? How did society regulate medical practice and cope with public health crises? And what was it like to be sick? We will trace innovations in surgery, anatomy, and midwifery, and explore how healers balanced Greek and Arabic medical knowledge with practical experience and observation. We will also examine the role of herbal remedies, religious healing, astrology, alchemy, and the rise of global commerce in medicinal drugs.
