Tudor Medicine Quiz - The Tudor Society

Test your knowledge on Tudor medicine and the cures of the time with this fun quiz.

Q1) In the medieval and Tudor periods, medicine was based on the four .......?

Star signs

Blood types

Humours

Skin colours

Correct!

Wrong! It was based on the four humours.

Q2) The humours were blood, yellow bile, black bile and ......

Urine

Phlegm

Tears

Pus

Correct!

Wrong! It's phlegm.

Q3) These humours corresponded to the .......

Elements

Star signs

Constellations

Planets

Correct!

Wrong! It's the elements: earth, water, fire and air.

Q4) Which humour was the humour of spring, passion and childhood?

Phlegm

Black bile

Yellow bile

Blood

Correct! Blood was the humour of spring, passion and childhood Yellow bile belonged to summer, anger and youth Black bile was linked to a sluggish personality, autumn and adulthood Phlegm was associated with winter, melancholy and old age.

Wrong! Blood was the humour of spring, passion and childhood Yellow bile belonged to summer, anger and youth Black bile was linked to a sluggish personality, autumn and adulthood Phlegm was associated with winter, melancholy and old age.

Q5) What was recommended by physician Andrew Boorde for mental illness?

Shaving the head.

Wrapping the head in vinegar and brown paper

Syrup of poppy

Hot skin of a mouse

Correct! It cooled the brain.

Wrong! It was the shaving of the head, it cooled the brain.

Q6) Powdered hedgehog testicles were recommended for what?

Shingles

Chilblains

Epilepsy

Bedwetting

Correct!

Wrong! It was for bedwetting.

Q7) Many medieval cures were actually quite sensible and made use of the healing properties of herbs and plants. Even today, we use digitalis for congestive heart failure - what plant is it from?

Foxglove

Deadly nightshade

Willow

Marigold

Correct!

Wrong! It's from the foxglove.

Q8) Feverfew is still used today to treat this common ailment....

Stomach upsets

Indigestion

Migraine

Bad back

Correct!

Wrong! It treats migraines.

Q9) The horn of which creature when powdered could be used to treat poisoning?

Goat

Unicorn

Rhinoceros

Buffalo

Correct!

Wrong! The answer is unicorn.

Q10) What was the medieval equivalent of a pharmacist?

The lorimer

The vintner

The limner

The apothecary

Correct!

Wrong! It's the apothecary.