Today when you get a disease you go to the doctor. You get checked out and they might give you some antibiotics. You get better and carry on with your life as if nothing happened. But if you lived in Medieval Europe a head cold is a death sentence. Disease was a religious matter and knowledge of bacteria was non-existent. They believed that if you didn’t sin and you were dedicated to God you wouldn’t have to suffer from sickness. Often a cold would go away, until a secondary infection would kick in. Pneumonia was an infection that was often fatal. They had one major problem in their life style that intensified all infections and one fix. Herbs helped people become healthy while poor hygiene continued to spread sickness everyday.
In Medieval times there were herb gardens in the monastery. These were called infirmary gardens. Because the church was the main function and a huge part of life sick families brought their sick to the church. “ Brother Richard has taught me that God provides cures in nature for many human ills.”(Storm,18). The herbs they used are still common in todays society. Many people use herbs to cure their own ailments. They often used lavender as a sleeping aid. Today you can buy lavender sprays for air freshening. Sheets and blankets can be washed in fabric softener scented to smell like lavender. Sage soothes sore throats and is used in herbal teas today. Many of their remedies are still common today.
However, because of their awful hygiene many people died when they got sick. One common occurrence was their waste disposal. People went in pots or vases. Once they became full they were dumped into the streets. The waste was washed down into the sewer and the stormwater that they used for drinking. At the time they didn't understand the concept of microbe and bacteria. Another occurrence that spread disease was the belief that bathing made you