History of Healthcare

Imhotep

2635 BCE

Imhotep is recognized as the first physician in history. He helped the study of medicine get started.

Egyptians maintain accurate health recods

1500 BCE

Egyptians maintaining an accurate health record was very important. It allowed them to maintain knowledge and discover causes and cures.

China uses moxibustion

500 BCE

Before the development of modern medicine, people in ancient china used a treatment called moxibustion in which a powdered substance is placed on the skin and then burns to make a blister. This was very important as it was one of the first actually effective treatments in ancient times.

Hippocrates

460 BCE

Hippocrates is known as the father of medicine. He founded the hippocratic oath, stressed the importance of diagnosis and treatment, founded a medical school, and proclaimed the importance of wellness.

Aristotle

384 BCE

Aristotle is known not only for his philosophical beliefs, but also his contribution to the advancement of medicine. He dissected animals and discovered more about anatomy and how bodies work.

Romans create aqueducts

312 BCE

The Romans revolutionized public health and sanitary systems. Aqueducts were used to carry clean water to other cities, which drastically decreased conditions and diseases caused by dirty water.

Claudius Galen

129 BCE

Claudius Galen was an ancient Roman physician who established many medical beliefs.

Rhazes

854

Rhazes is known as the Arab Hippocrates. He was crucial to the development of modern medicine.

criteria for distinguishing smallpox and measles is created

910

During the middle ages, a physician by the name of Rhazes made a list of criteria to help doctors know whether their patient is suffering from the measles and smallpox. This helped in many ways, it prioritized diagnosis, helped doctors know how to treat their patients, and helped control the diseases.

Roger Bacon

1214

Roger Bacon promoted chemical treatments for diseases. This opened the door for many more types of remedies and medications.

Human dissection

1350

Once human dissection was allowed, the amount of knowledge about the human body and medicine increased like never before. Although unacceptable before this time, human dissection was necessary for the development of modern medicine.

Ambroise Pare

1510

Known as the father of modern surgery, Pare inventing many modern practices still used today. He invented the idea of sutures, promoted the use of artificial limbs, improved treatment of fractures, and eliminated the use of boiling oil to cauterize wounds.

Mercury Thermometer

1714

In 1714, Gabriel Fahrenheit created the first mercury thermometer that would be used for the next century to take temperatures and help diagnose patients.

Discovery of the Smallpox Vaccine

1796

Florence Nightengale

1820

Florence Nightingale is known as the founder of modern nursing. She set up professional education for nurses and established efficient and sanitary nursing units during the Crimean war.

The Red Cross

1881

In 1881, Clara Barton founded the american red cross. This foundation is still alive today, and it helps many people become certified health care workers and helps educate the public.

antipsychotics

1952

Before this time, there wasn't really a way to treat the mentally ill. All doctors specialized in curing diseases of the body not the mind. But, after this discovery, medical treatment with those suffering from mental illness became more popular.

DNA identified as a double helix

1953

This discovery allowed scientists to learn about how are body works and what distinctiveness us from others. The discovery of the double helix is often credited to Watson and Crick, but in reality Rosalind Franklin discovered it.

Artificial Heart

1982

Dr. Williams DeVries implanted the first ever artificial heart into a patient in 1982.Although he only lived 112 days after the surgery, it was still an amazing accomplished that helped the development of artificial organs move forward.

HIPPA

1996

In 1996, president Clinton signed the health insurance portability and accountability act to protect patient privacy and make it easier to obtain health insurance.