Before the scientific method was developed, doctors and healers relied on a variety of sources to prescribe remedies for their patients. These sources included:
Tradition and folklore: Many cultures had long-standing traditions and folklore about herbal remedies and other forms of treatment. These were often passed down from generation to generation and were considered effective based on anecdotal evidence.
Personal experience: Doctors and healers would often rely on their own experiences in treating patients to guide their future treatments. They would try different remedies and observe their effects on patients to determine their effectiveness.
Religious or spiritual beliefs: Some doctors and healers incorporated religious or spiritual beliefs into their treatment methods. For example, they may have used prayer or ritual to help heal a patient.
Observation and intuition: Doctors and healers would often observe a patient's symptoms and use their intuition to determine the underlying cause of the illness. They would then prescribe a treatment based on their observations and intuition.
Overall, the approach to medicine before the scientific method was developed was much less systematic and empirical than it is today. While some remedies may have been effective, many were based on untested assumptions and lacked a rigorous scientific basis. It was only with the development of the scientific method and modern medicine that treatments became more evidence-based and standardized.