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MEDICINE in the Tudors
| Sweating sicknesses, Childbirth, Miscarriages & Jousting Accidents were important events in The Tudors series |
| The King's Medical Personnel consisted of : |
| Apothecaries (Thomas Ashe, John De Soda, Thomas Pierson & Richard Babham) |
| Barber-Surgeons (Thomas Vicary) - Specialization of professions is a relatively new invention. Back then, barbers were also dentists and surgeons, versatile performers of tooth extraction and enemas, bloodletting and wound surgery. |
 Physicians (Dr. Thomas Linacre, Dr. Water Cromar, Dr. William Butts, Dr. George Owens and Dr. John Chambre who attended the births of both Princess Elizabeth Tudor & Prince Edward Tudor ) Usually men of the priesthood who held ecclesiastical offices as well. The Royal College of Physicians was founded by King Henry VIII in September 1518 with Dr. Linacre as President.Along with the regular physicians there were also others who attended the king. Dr. Andrew Boorde recorded that the King was "fleshy" with pronounced arteries possessed of ruddy cheeks and pale skin "hair plenty and red, pulse great and full, digestion perfect, anger short [and] sweat abundant". In Henry's final years, he was attended by George Owens, Thomas Wendy (William Butts successor) and Robert Huicke. |
| LINKS: |
| King Henry's Medical Record: |
 1521 - Fevers & sinusitis 1528 - Chronic Headaches, bladder trouble & a possible tumor of the testicles. 1532 - Painful attacks in the extremities 1536 - Jousting accident - Henry is unconscious for 2 hours. 1537 - Minor Pulmonary Embolism 1541 - Flare up of old leg wound. After the leg wound ulcerated Henry experienced recurrent colds & a "choleric" disposition. Modern doctors believe he may have suffered from Osteomyelitis, a chronic septic infection of the thigh bone due to the jousting accident in 1536 which caused necrosed pieces of bone & pus. It has also been proposed that he suffered from scurvy as he exhibited every symptom which progressively debilitated him and produced violent changes of temper. Standard treatments for Syphilis were not used and that theory was only proposed in 1888 and has since been discounted. Diabetes has also been considered as a strong possibility for Henry's ailments. [Source : The Royal Doctors, 1485-1714 By Elizabeth Lane Furdell] *See also King Henry VIII Controversies Sir Arthur McNally in his book, "Henry VIII, a Difficult Patient," also provides that Henry's ulcer was caused by osteomyelitis, dating back to the jousting injury. The disease would produce the hideous pus-ridden sores, but would explain the intermittent nature of the ulcers. See this: modern case of Osteomyelitis - *viewer discretion advised*   Season 2   Season 3 |
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| Medical Theory |
| During this period, medicine adhered to Galenic precepts & the humoural explanation for illness. There were 4 "humours" or bodily fluids which governed the body : - Blood - Phlegm - Yellow Bile - Black Bile Personality was also affected by the "Humours". People with too much blood were sanguine, or ardent & hopeful. Those with too much phlegm were phlegmatic, or dull & apathetic; melancholiacs, the depressed & unhappy suffered from immoderate black bile and the peevish & cross are understandably bilious were burdened with superfluous yellow bile. There should be a balance of humours - warm, cold, dry, moist - because a surfeit or deficit of the humours caused sickness. An overabundance of blood caused fever but bleeding the patient could restore wellness. Purging with laxatives, vomitories & other prescriptions eliminated redundant humours or relieved humoural shortages. Physicians also advised on diets since food was considered medicinal if prepared properly. |
| The Sweating Sickness was a form of influenza with pulmonary complications. Some felt that the "sweats" were God's scourge on those without the right piety and others argued that the disease emanated from "foul" or corrupt air. | Childbirth & Miscarriages Midwives & "wise women" handled obstetric care since Tudor Physicians considered most cases be left to the safe conduct of the Invisible Midwife " Dame Nature" |
 Anne Boleyn survives a bout with the Sweating Sickness much to her father, Sir Thomas Boleyn's glee. Season 1 |  Elizabeth (Bessie) Blount gives birth to Henry Fitzroy Henry's illegitimate son. Season 1 |
 Sadly Sir William Compton succumbs to the sweating sickness and does not survive. Season 1 |  *Number of Children stillborn or born weak disputed See : The alleged miscarriages of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. by J Dewhurst |
 Cardinal Thomas Wolsey survives the Sweating Sickness epidemic. Season 1 |  Anne Boleyn gives birth to Princess Elizabeth Tudor Season 2 |
 Henry Fitzroy dies from the Sweating Sickness* Season 1 *Historically Fitzroy died from consumption. |  Anne Boleyn would suffer several* miscarriages. Season 2 *Number of miscarriages disputed Author Mike Ashley speculated that Anne had two stillborn children after Elizabeth's birth and before the birth of the male child she miscarried in 1536. [Ashley, p.240.] Most sources attest only to the birth of Elizabeth in September 1533, a possible miscarriage in the summer of 1534, and the miscarriage of a male child, of almost four months gestation, in January 1536. [Williams, chapter 4.]  The series buys into the deformed foetus theory proposed by Retha Warnicke however most historians (Ives, Starkey, Fraser) dismiss it as catholic propoganda |
 Jane Seymour gives birth to Prince Edward Tudor Season 3 | |
 Jane Seymour died from a post-natal infection about 12 days after giving birth to Prince Edward. Season 3 | |
| Other Ailments |
 Princess Margaret Tudor dies from consumption*. Season 1 *Historically, Mary died from consumption/poor health, Margaret died from a stroke. |  Queen Katherine of Aragon is believed to have died from Cancer due to a black tumor like growth on her heart. Season 2 |
| LINKS: | Sources: |
MsSquirrly |
Latest page update: made by MsSquirrly
, Oct 29 2009, 1:25 PM EDT
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| mrsgalloway | What Exactly Is Dropsy? | 3 | Tuesday, 4:29 PM EST by lettice | ||
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Thread started: Oct 29 2009, 6:48 AM EDT
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I have read about it, but I really do not know what dropsy is, I know it is some kind of illness, but how does it effect the body? What were the symptons, and was it a very common illness? Was there a cure?
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| Conyle | Rumors of plague in the city | 12 | May 1 2009, 2:29 PM EDT by LNor19 | ||
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Thread started: Apr 30 2009, 10:30 PM EDT
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When I first heard about swine flu in Mexico last weekend and that it was spreading I was alarmed. Especially as 5 of my co-workers returned from vacation in Mexico last Saturday. Now, I've read up on it and realize that it's something to pay attention to, but that the cases outside of Mexico so far are actually quite mild and nothing more to worry about than the regular flu.
But it got me thinking about the plague and sweating sickness, as well as tuberculosis and the other contagious diseases that ran amok during Tudor times. And I know that they were used to it and all, but I can't help but think about how terrifying that must have been! Before I learned more about swine flu and realized that I didn't need to be seriously alarmed, all I could think about was my kids. How could I keep my kids safe is a killer disease came to our area? And we do have 13 cases of swine flu right in the area I live in. What if it was plague? I can't imagine the fear that would go through parents. No wonder Henry made Edward into bubble boy! And the poor kid ended up dying of tuberculosis anyway. I hope that the world never has to go through the fear and horrors of something like the plague and diseases like it again...while realizing that the possibility is always a real possibility. I hope that it dies out in Mexico soon. I feel for the people who are living through this there. |
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| Anne'sCurls | To the experienced women and medical professionals (page: 1 2) | 28 | Apr 8 2009, 8:35 AM EDT by lettice | ||
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Thread started: Apr 3 2009, 10:37 PM EDT
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I have heard vaguely that when Margaret gave birth to her son, the future Henry VII she was so young and her body immature that it caused some form of damage that prevented her from having anymore children. Of course no one knows if this is true, but what possible damages could she have suffered?
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