Overview

During the tenth century, hospitals began to emerge along the routes taken by European crusaders to the Middle East, as their travels were accompanied by microorganisms, discord, and holy wars. The Crusades, a series of military campaigns from 1096 to 1291, were undertaken by Christian groups to take back the Holy Land from the Muslims. Trauma, either due to injuries, war, or poor living conditions, was a constant companion to those who traveled.

Then, as now, a stable, adequate diet, availability of clean water, and sanitary lodging were necessary for the maintenance of health. In the past pestilence and disease were frequently more lethal than actual warfare. The first hospitals were military institutions built along the well-worn...