Early Humans and Science In the Middle Ages

In the middle ages, physicians used several methods while diagnosing patients. One of the main methods that was used was astrological diagnosis. According to Lindberg & Shank, (2013), patients were diagnosed based on the moon’s position in relation to the topologies that were related to different parts of the body. The physicians employed their knowledge of zodiac signs and humeral medicine. This ancient medical astrology associated the body, illnesses and medicine with the position of the moon, sun and planets. Every part of the body had a zodiac sign that was associated with it. Physiologists diagnosed patients by observing an individual’s natal chart and identifying the parts of the body that were most prone to trouble. 

The field of medicine has however changed over the years and adopted more developed methods of diagnosing patients. During the early 1900’s, William Hosler advocated for the diagnosis and treatment of disease (Lindberg & Shank, 2013). He advised that physicians should identify disease and its manifestations, understand how it works and identify methods of preventing and curing it. This technique could be executed only by understanding a patient’s morbid anatomy and pathology. Ancient physiologists did not understand the morbid anatomy and pathology of patients therefore they could not provide an accurate diagnosis. Physiologists could not rely on medical astrology as the technique relied on astrological signs and the position of the moon, sun and planets which had no relation to the patient’s anatomy and pathology. The technique also depended on equipment such as the natal chart, the horoscope and the decumbiture chart (Lindberg & Shank, 2013). These charts were made obsolete by the invention of modern hospital equipment. Modern medical equipment that are used by physiologists are more advanced and give more accurate diagnosis thus preventing death of patients. 

Reference  

Lindberg, D. C., & Shank, M.H. (2013). The Cambridge History of Science. Volume 2, Medieval Science. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CH09780511974007