In the previous article, the author demonstrated the close relationship between bloodletting practices in medieval Europe and acupuncture in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This study aimed to explore how acupuncture-based treatment was applied in medieval Europe. The author hypothesizes that the physical stimulation of acupuncture points associated with bloodletting was one of the main methods of pain management at that time. The study examined the indications for phlebotomy as depicted in the original illustration from Practica Medicinalis written by the 15th-century Archbishop of Prague, Sigismundus Albicus, supplemented by two other European medieval medical manuscripts. A total of 76 distinct symptoms (corresponding to 25 bloodletting acupuncture points) from the Practica Medicinalis illustration were assembled into four groups: 1) Pain and inflammation symptoms; 2) Symptoms commonly associated with pain and inflammation; 3) General symptoms affecting various organs and functions; and 4) Conditions unrelated to pain or inflammation. Among the 76 symptoms and 25 acupuncture points, only nine symptoms and a single bloodletting point were not associated with the treatment of pain or inflammation. This suggests that acupuncture-based therapy was an effective method for managing pain and inflammation in the Middle Ages and that such treatment could still be valuable from a modern clinical perspective.
- MeSH
- akupunkturní body * MeSH
- akupunkturní terapie * dějiny MeSH
- bolest dějiny MeSH
- dějiny středověku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- management bolesti * dějiny metody MeSH
- zánět * dějiny terapie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dějiny středověku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- historické články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Evropa MeSH
The common opinion is that in Europe acupuncture was introduced in China at the end of the XVII century. However there are some publications, which describe the similar treatment method in the Stone Age Europe. From ancient to late middle century theoretical and practical aspects of medieval medicine in Europe were very similar to the Tradition Chinese medicine. So it is possible that historical phlebotomy in Europe (bloodletting) played the same role as the acupuncture in the Chinese therapy and they had one scientific source. In this article we are comparing the modern acupuncture with some Bohemian medical tractates (Practica medicinalis by Sigismundus Albicus from 1408-1424, De sanguinis minucione by Cristannus de Prachaticz from 1430). We can see the close relationship between localizations and indications of medieval phlebotomy and modern acupuncture points. 40% of the bloodletting points have close localization with the modern acupuncture points and 57% of their indications are common or very similar. The similarity of two methods may be explained in two ways. First is a common scientific source and intensive interaction and crosscultural transmission of knowledge during medical development in China and Europe up to the beginning of the XV century. This possibility indicates also some linguistic coincidences. On the other hand, both methods could have been developed separately based on common clinical empire and objective neuro-physiological patterns of human body.
- MeSH
- akupunkturní body MeSH
- akupunkturní terapie dějiny MeSH
- dějiny 20. století MeSH
- dějiny středověku MeSH
- flebotomie dějiny MeSH
- kultura MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- pouštění žilou dějiny MeSH
- tradiční čínská medicína dějiny MeSH
- Check Tag
- dějiny 20. století MeSH
- dějiny středověku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- historické články MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Čína MeSH
- Evropa MeSH
