How They Croaked
Galileo Galilei
Who was Galileo?
They've Got the Power
The Catholic Church had a lot of power during this time in history. The Holy Inquisition had the authority to hunt down people who believed something different from what the Church believed. They called these people heretics, and they usually were tortured or killed. When Galileo discovered that the Earth revolved around the Sun and not the other way around, he had to handle the situation carefully. The last person to suggest a sun-centered universe was burned at the stake by the church police.
Not only were there power crazy church officials running around, there was a surplus of disease and ignorant doctors. It was the 1500s after all, and the medical technology was nothing compared to what we have today. People usually only lived to be about 35 years old because of plagues, poxes, and other disorders that had unknown remedies. Sanitation was not a huge concern at the time either.
How Many Problems Can One Man Have?
Galileo suffered from many things. He drank wine because it was safer to drink than water due to the fact that water wasn't able to be fully decontaminated yet. However, at this point in time, people were not aware of the fact that the lead flakes they used to flavor their food and drink would cause lead poisoning. This lead to kidney stones and gout, which deformed his hands into claws with lumpy knuckles, twisted fingers, and raw skin. There was a hole in his stomach muscle where his intestine bulged out, called a hernia. To plug the hole, he had to wear an iron truss every day. Galileo also suffered from glaucoma, which no one had yet been able to diagnose, let alone find a cure or treatment. Galileo ended up dying from kidney failure. He died on January 8, 1642. He had lived to be 77 years old, which was twice as long as most people lived during that time.
Galileo was Significant Because...
Modern Solutions
Kidney stones can be passed by drinking lots of water or taking pills. However, pills weren't really an option in the 1500s and water wasn't the cleanest thing to drink. More severe stones would need to be removed surgically; again, not available for Mr. Galilei.
Glaucoma can be treated with eye drops, pills, surgery, or a combination of the methods.
Interesting...
Ninety-five years after Galileo had passed on, the world of science recognized Galileo's findings, and his remains were moved to a marble monument in the church. While he was being transported, some hardcore Galileo fans took a vertebra, a tooth, and three fingers from his right hand. Galileo's middle finger is on display at the Museum of the History of Science in Florence, Italy. The other two fingers and the tooth were kept by an Italian marquis, lost for about 100 years, and then sold at auction without any identification. The vertebra is at the University of Padua, Italy.
Important Events
Event~ Galileo got his first telescope
Significance~ This began his interest in astronomy
1609
Event~ Galileo saw Jupiter's four moons and dark spots on the sun
Significance~ This is when he realized the Earth was moving
1632
Event~ Galileo published his book, "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems"
Significance~ The book was about his findings about the Earth revolving around the sun.
1633
Event~ The Inquisition put Galileo on trial for heresy
Significance~ The Catholic Church was known for putting heretics to death, but Galileo was put on house arrest instead
1642
Event~ Galileo died
Significance~ Galileo lived twice as long as the average person
Terms to Learn
Truss: A supportive device, usually a pad with a belt, worn to prevent an enlargement of a hernia or the return of a reduced hernia.
Glaucoma: Abnormally high fluid pressure in the eyes.
Heresy: Opinion/doctrine at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine.
House Arrest: Confinement of an arrested person to his or her residence or to a public place (hospital), instead of in a jail.