During the middle ages, buildings that are now referred to as hospitals often served different functions, like hostels for pilgrims. In fact, the word hospital comes from the Latin word “Hospes” signifying a stranger, foreigner or a guest, because they were houses reserved for foreigners and other passing pilgrims. However, as guests were few in the house, people started taking in the sick and other people with different injuries. However, households of wealthy people did not take them to temples, but kept them in their own houses. The phenomenon was similar in several parts of the world, and were, hence, consolidated to one healthcare entity. Long-time records indicate that a Chinese Buddhist, Fa Xian, travelled to India in 400 AD, and recorded some examples of healing institutions he found in the area. In ancient Greece, temples were also dedicated to sick people for some time, which later on spread to the Roman Empire. However, as Christianism was declared in the middle ages, Catholic bishops started advocating for more construction of healthcare infrastructures, with equipment of more medical staff, intensive training and systematic treatments. As these hospitals were found, it was realised that more professionalism and medical background was needed to get a job there, hence, medical schools were set up to staff the hospital institutions.
