Barber Pole
Uploaded by
Todd KoenigBarber Pole
Uploaded by
Todd KoenigThe Barber Pole
Today, a barber is a person who cuts and styles mens hair. His tools are scissors, combs, and razors. During
the Middle Ages in Europe, a barber did many jobs. Not only did a barber cut hair, he also pulled teeth,
performed surgery, and bloodletting. A barber was called a barber surgeon.
During the Middle Ages, people believed that the blood carried sickness and disease. They thought that a sick
person would become better if part of the bad blood was drained out of the body. This was called
bloodletting. It was a very common practice.
The barber surgeons tools were a pole for the patient to grab (this makes the veins easy to see), a bowl for the
blood to drain into, and a lot of white bandages. Simply, a vein was cut and the blood was allowed to drain.
After the operaton, the bandages were hung on the pole and put outside the shop to dry. Outside, the wind
would wrap the bloody bandages around the pole.
Today, a barber pole is used only as an advertisement. But, the modern barber pole is always red, white and
blue. Why? Red represents the blood, blue the veins, and white the bandages used during the bloodletting in
the Middle Ages.
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ESL Lesson Plans - Mini-Bios - Barber Pole
READING COMPREHENSION
Answer the following questions using complete sentences.
1. What does a barber do today?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are a barbers tools?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. During the Middle Ages, did a barber pull teeth?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What was a barber called?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5. When did people believe that the blood carried sickness and disease?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Why did they drain bad blood out of the body?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7. What was the practice called?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Name two of the barber surgeons tools.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
9. How does a barber surgeon perform bloodletting?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
10. After the operation, where were the bandages hung?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Outside, what wrapped the bloody bandages around the pole?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Today, what is a barber pole used for?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
13. What does the color blue represent?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2007. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of [Link] in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact info@[Link] for complete details.
VOCABULARY REVIEW
Unscramble the words below from the story. Then write one original sentence for each word.
1. rbebar
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. isrsssoc
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. zorra
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. erysurg
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
5. llodetoingb
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6. asedise
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7. baagend
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
8. tionpeora
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
9. dveraementtis
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Now find the words from above in the Word Search below.
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Copyright 2007. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of [Link] in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact info@[Link] for complete details.
ESL Lesson Plans - Mini-Bios - Barber Pole
ANSWER KEY - SCRAMBLE AND WORD SEARCH
1. barber
2. scissors
3. razor
4. surgery
5. bloodletting
6. disease
7. bandage
8. operation
9. advertisement
H B A R B E R A S H D Y C
O C A E L S B I A E H A D
P R A Z O R E A M A M P I
E S T A O H J I N D N U U
R T I C D E S R S D V K A
E S A V L D G I U I A M T
A C L V E I Y K R S H G O
T K A C T L R R G E D G E
I I R C T G E T E A Y H K
O N S C I S S O R S T E E
N G S F N E G G Y E E D R
E S U R G I V E D K N T E
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Copyright 2007. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of [Link] in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact info@[Link] for complete details.
Common questions
Powered by AIThe inclusion of blue in the modern barber pole, alongside red and white, suggests an evolution in its symbolism. While red and white directly reference the bloodletting process (blood and bandages), blue is interpreted as representing the veins. This addition can indicate a shift towards a more comprehensive representation of the surgical and medical facets historically associated with barbers .
Barber surgeons used a pole for the patient to grab, which made veins easier to see during bloodletting. They also employed bowls to collect drained blood and white bandages to wrap wounds. These tools enabled them to perform surgical operations, dental extractions, and haircuts, highlighting their versatile role in both medical and grooming practices .
The bloody bandages were hung on poles outside to dry after bloodletting operations. The wind would wrap the bandages around the pole, creating the red-and-white-striped appearance that symbolizes barber poles today. This practice inadvertently advertised the barber's medical services to passersby .
Barber surgeons conducted bloodletting by first having patients grasp a pole, which aided vein visibility. They then made an incision to allow blood to drain into a bowl, using white bandages for wound care afterward. This simple yet invasive procedure was common for its perceived health benefits, despite its rudimentary understanding of bodily functions .
Bloodletting in the Middle Ages was based on the belief that diseases and sickness were carried through the blood. It was thought that removing some of this 'bad blood' would help patients recover, reflecting a rudimentary understanding of disease and health that lacked the insights into infection and internal medicine that modern science provides .
During the Middle Ages, barbers were known as "barber surgeons" and performed a variety of medical procedures including pulling teeth, performing surgery, and bloodletting, in addition to cutting hair. This role was much broader compared to modern-day barbers, who primarily focus on cutting and styling men's hair using tools like scissors, combs, and razors .
Historical practices utilizing poles, bandages, and bowls during bloodletting have directly influenced the modern barber pole's red, white, and blue stripe design. The symbolism persists, maintaining visual ties to barbers' former medical roles while now exclusively marking barber shops, thus representing a cultural retention of historical symbolism .
Originating as a visual signifier of medical practices like bloodletting in the Middle Ages, the barber pole today functions primarily as an advertisement for hair-cutting services. Its colors still pay homage to its medical past, but its function has significantly narrowed from health services to a focus on grooming .
Bloodletting was pervasive in the Middle Ages as it was one of the few available medical practices based on the humoral theory. This theory posited that balancing bodily fluids could restore health, though it was largely inaccurate by current standards. The widespread adoption of this practice reflected limited medical knowledge and the absence of advanced diagnostic techniques .
The modern barber pole uses red, white, and blue colors that symbolize different aspects of the bloodletting practice from the Middle Ages. Red represents the blood, blue represents the veins, and white signifies the bandages used during bloodletting procedures .