Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pajmage 12-19-05, 05:09 PM	OK, so. What is Medical care like in the realms. I know that clerics can cure disease and heal injury but what if theres no clerics around? Doctors, for example, are they of a similar level of expertise as Dark Ages surgeons? (i.e. Therapeutic Bleeding for most illness' ) or do they know of herbs etc that they can use to cure different ailments? What about army surgeons as well. Do armies rely purely on clerics or do they have trained medical personell who can remove damaged limbs etc? Finally, what about general Hygiene in the Realms. Things like general cleanliness and tooth care, how are they managed, especially by Adventurers on the road. Water is also a factor, yes there are spells that can create water, but what if they are unavailable. How do they carry water and prevent it stagnating?
Kuje31 12-19-05, 05:48 PM	Ed has answered a lot of these questions in the past 2 years. Dig through his replies which can be found in my sig. :)
ferratus 12-19-05, 07:05 PM	What is Medical care like in the realms. I know that clerics can cure disease and heal injury but what if theres no clerics around? Doctors, for example, are they of a similar level of expertise as Dark Ages surgeons? (i.e. Therapeutic Bleeding for most illness' ) or do they know of herbs etc that they can use to cure different ailments? Most historians call it the "Early Middle Ages" now, because really there were continual rennaissances and a rich intellectual tradition that ran throughout Europe from the fall of Rome until the Enlightenment. Sure things sucked depending on where you were and what kind of lord you had... but it isn't like there isn't widespread famine, insecurity, and violence on every continent in this day and age. For example, these nice upper and lower case letters we use now, came about from Charlemagne's court, not the Roman Empire or the Italian Rennaissance. Gothic script, which came afterwards, was so efficient that it could fit more words on a page than typed words in this day and age, though of course it is almost impossible for us to read without a bit of training and unenjoyable to read when we do. ;) Medical practitioners knew how to set bones, relieve symptoms of illness, how to sterilize and disinfect (with boiling water, vinegar or alcohol for example), the importance of bedrest, how to do some simple surgeries, and how to use garlic and other natural "drugs" to great effect. Of course there was a lot of mummery mixed in with it, but it was still could be effective. Of course, it is nothing as good as we receive today, but it was generally better to go to the doctor than not. Anasthesia was available through alcohol, opium, and hemp, though none of those were much good when they stitched or burn-sealed a wound, nor when they sawed your leg off. Oh, and leeches were more common in the late middle ages/enlightenment era, so take that as you will. What about army surgeons as well. Do armies rely purely on clerics or do they have trained medical personell who can remove damaged limbs etc? Experts are more common than clerics, and clerics are in short supply after a battle, with officers probably getting the lion's share of healing magic. If amputation is required for severe injuries, I imagine that only high command would be able to get hold of a high ranking cleric to fix that. This might be in fact another reason why mercenaries and adventuring companies are so powerful, as they would probably have the resources to provide healing magic to their bands as opposed to a militia levies. Finally, what about general Hygiene in the Realms. Things like general cleanliness and tooth care, how are they managed, especially by Adventurers on the road. Using the middle ages as a guide, general cleanliness depended on where you lived. Medieval peasants probably had easier access to enough water to bathe in, though it was still enough of a bother that you didn't do it everyday. Hauling water and heating it up for a tub was especially difficult, not to mention the cost of soap. It was thus a luxury good and treated as such. For example, a key bit of etiquette when nobles received guests was to offer them a bath. So you could expect a medieval person to bathe anywhere from one a week, to once every few months depending on location and social status. Washing with a moist towel and a small basin was much more common, and would be done every day or two. Various remedies for releiving smells inside buildings (such as pot pouri and hanging herbs) due to the stink of unwashed bodies was also needed. Later, and especially before indoor plumbing, perfumes became much more common (especially among the wealthy in urban centers). This has seen a resurgence in continental Europe with water resources more expensive and scarce in the modern world. We North Americans are pigs with our cheap water, showering everyday. Of course, I couldn't live without my daily shower and still feel clean, so that makes me a hypocrite.
Link182 12-19-05, 10:10 PM	Doesnt that all come down to Heal checks and HP gained from "resting".
aliira-sunstar 12-20-05, 07:38 PM	Midwives come to mind, as the local sage for herbs, mushrooms (to help ease pains, cause miscarriage, tea for relaxing, etc.) and sheperds were also known as conoisseurs of charms, minor spells and herbs. Never forget the local adept too, which is the "magical version" of a shaman or midwife.