Drift off to the complete history of medieval medicine — from the seemingly bizarre treatments of bloodletting and humoral theory to the surprising sophistication of medieval surgery and herbal remedies. Medieval doctors weren't all quacks; they were doing the best with the knowledge available to them.

Covered: The four humors theory of Hippocrates and Galen, medieval hospitals and universities, Islamic golden age medicine (Avicenna, Ibn Rushd), the plague doctors and their iconic beaked masks, bloodletting and leeches, medieval surgery and anesthesia, herbal medicine and apothecaries, childbirth in the Middle Ages, and how medieval medicine laid the groundwork for modern science.

✦ 2-hour deep dive ✦ Calm narration for sleep ✦ Medieval history for sleep

Sleepless History is an educational sleep podcast covering medieval history, science history, and cultural history — made to help you fall asleep.