Roman Medicine

Because doctors are sometimes called “leeches”

Medication

Habits

Doctors knew that cleanliness and a good diet would help keep people healthy.  To keep clean people would go to the baths. Also it was suggested to get plenty of fresh air and exercise.

Praying

Romans believed that the gods and goddesses had the power to heal sicknesses. Romans relied on superstitions and spells to heal them. Many thought that their dreams held the cures to their ailments. So to get a healing dream people would sleep in shrines. People would give offerings if they were healed.

Medicines

Herbs mixed with wine were used to treat coughs and chest problems. Wine was also used as a very ineffective pain killer. Ointments made with lead, zinc, and iron were used to cure eye infections. For rashes and snake bites, tree sap was used. The Romans also ground up ingredients to make pill.   

Procedures

Bloodletting was used very frequently. If someone had a fever the Romans thought that the person had too much blood. A  doctor would place leeches on the persons arm and let the leeches suck the blood out of the person.

 

Mortar and pestle were used to grind up ingredients used for pills