Today I want to continue learning about medieval jobs. So today I want to look at the medieval barber surgeon. This is one of those jobs that seems strange to us today. These were people who could cut your hair or shaved your beard but they could also be called on to pull out a tooth or even amputate a limb if needed. That sounds incredibly scary to a modern person, but in medieval times, this was completely normal.
Medicine in the medieval age was very different from today. There were physicians, but they were usually highly educated men who had studied at universities and they mostly treated wealthy people. They usually would diagnose an illness or recommend treatments, but many did not want to perform surgery themselves because it was seen as dirty work. That was where the barber surgeon came in.
Barbers already worked with sharp tools every day. They had access to razors, scissors, and knives to cut hair and shaved beards. So they began to be trusted with other tasks that involved using these tools. They actually started carrying out medical procedures as well.
A barber surgeon could do much more than most people realise. They might have cleaned and stitched up wounds, drained boils, set broken bones, pull out rotten teeth, and they even removed arrows and other objects from injuries. They could even amputate damaged arms or legs if the situation needed it. It makes me wince just thinking about it.
Their work must have been incredibly hard. Surgery happened without the modern anaesthetics or antibiotics we are lucky enough to have. Patients were sometimes given alcohol or a simple herbal remedy in an attempt to dull the pain, but often they had to suffer the procedure whilst fully awake. The pain must have been terrible. Even if the surgery went well, there was a huge risk of infection.
Barber surgeons became especially important in the wars. With battles came injured soldiers, and someone needed to be able to treat them quickly. A skilled barber surgeon could and did save lives. They needed a steady hand and the ability to stay calm in horrible situations.
The symbol linked to barber surgeons is the barber’s pole. The red stripe is often said to represent blood, while the white represents bandages. Some stories also say that patients squeezed a pole during bloodletting to help their veins stand out but it is unclear if that is true.
Surgery eventually became more professional and separate from barbering. Medical knowledge began to improve and the two jobs gradually split apart. It really makes me appreciate modern medicine.
Could you imagine going in for a haircut and then leaving without a tooth?
No comments:
Post a Comment