Final answer:
The little progress in understanding disease causation between c1250 and c1700 resulted from prevailing religious beliefs, superstitions, and the dominance of the miasma theory over germ theory. Key figures from this period laid the groundwork for future discoveries but faced significant challenges due to the societal context. Only in the 19th century did germ theory become widely accepted.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period between c1250 and c1700 was characterized by limited progress in the understanding of disease causation, which can be attributed to various factors. During this era, prevailing beliefs about disease were often based on conjecture, and superstition, and entrenched in the religious and philosophical ideas of the time. The germ theory of disease, first introduced by Girolamo Fracastoro in 1546, was just one of several competing explanations for diseases, such as the widely-held miasma hypothesis that suggested diseases were caused by bad air emanating from decomposing material.
The catastrophic events of the Bubonic plague during the 14th and early 15th centuries further entrenched the miasma theory, as the lack of knowledge about pathogens led to ineffective treatments and preventive measures. Historical figures like Hippocrates and Marcus Terentius Varro had earlier suggested that diseases had natural causes and could be caused by unseen creatures, but their ideas took centuries to gain acceptance. Religious institutions like the Catholic Church, which was severely impacted by the plague, had a significant influence on the public's understanding of the disease, linking it to divine wrath rather than physical causes.
Despite these setbacks, the seeds of modern epidemiology were being sown. Individuals such as John Snow and Florence Nightingale were making observations about disease patterns and sanitation's role in infection control. It wasn't until the 19th century, with researchers like Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, that the germ theory gained widespread acceptance, paving the way for modern medical advancements.