Which type of chart did medieval doctors use to help treat patients?

• A. Zodiac chart
• B. Urine chart
• C. Temperature chart
• D. Symptom chart

Answer: (B)

Examining urine was a practical diagnostic method that informed treatment in medieval medicine. Under the belief in humoral balance, the appearance and properties of urine were thought to reveal the state of the body's humors. Doctors kept a urine chart, noting aspects like color, clarity, density, smell, sediment, and sometimes taste, to categorize a patient’s condition. By matching what they observed to the chart, they could tailor treatments intended to restore balance, such as dietary changes, purgatives, or procedures like bloodletting. While astrology and zodiac diagrams influenced beliefs about when to treat or how a patient might fare, the urine chart was the primary tool used to guide specific medical interventions.