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Period: 4000 BCE to 3000 BCE
Early Beginnings
Primitive human beings had no electricity, a few tools, and poor shelter. Their time was spent protecting themselves against predators and finding food. -
3900 BCE
Diseases caused by
Evil spirits -
3600 BCE
Treatments
Prayer, exorcism -
3100 BCE
Medicines
Digitalis for heart
Quinine for digestion
Belladonna and atropine for digestion
Morphine for pain -
Period: 2900 BCE to 399
Ancient times
The Egyptians were the earliest people to keep accurate health records. They were superstitious and called upon gods to heal them. Also learned to identify diseases. -
2899 BCE
Ancient Egyptians
Health records, Egyptians were the earliest people to keep them and called upon gods to heal them Priests acted as physicians They used medicines, splinting, leeches, draining blood, to heal. -
1900 BCE
Ancient Chinese
The ancient Chinese used acupuncture to treat illnesses and diseases, it’s still used today. -
900 BCE
Ancient Greeks
First to discover that illnesses may have natural causes rather than spiritual causes. During the ancient times, religious custom did not allow dissection. The father of medicine was Hippocrates, his knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and observation of the outside of the body. -
100
Ancient Romans
Ancient Romans learned from the Greeks and developed a sanitation system. The Roman were the first to organize medical care. They sent medical equipment and physicians with their armies to care for wounded soldiers. That was the beginning of hospitals. -
Period: 400 to 800
Dark Age
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500
Stopped the study of medicine
It stopped because the Roman Empire was conquered by the Huns. -
700
How do they treat diseases
The primary treatment was prayer, herbal mixtures. -
Period: 800 to 1400
Middle Age
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1100
Epidemics
Epidemics caused over millions of deaths. Bubonic plague killed over 60 million people. Other epidemics were caused from diseases like smallpox, diphtheria, spyphilis, and tuberculosis. Now we have vaccines and medications to help cure or control them. -
Period: 1350 to
Renaissance
During this period there was a rebirth of learning. New scientific progress began There were many developments during this period -
1450
Rebirth
The building of universities and medical schools for research The acceptance of dissection of the body for study Development of the printing press and the publishing of books, allowing greater access to knowledge from research -
Period: 1501 to
16th and 17th Centuries
The desire for learning that began during the Renaissance continued through the next 2 centuries Several scientists added new knowledge -
1515
Leonardo da Vinci
Studied and recorded the anatomy of the body -
1550
Gabriele Fallopius
Discovered the fallopian tubes of the female anatomy -
1563
Bartolommeo Eustachio
Discovered the tube leading from the ear to the throat (Eustachian tube) -
William Harvey
Understand physiology and described the circulation of blood and the pumping of the heart -
Antonie von Leeuwenhoek
Invented the microscope
Establishing that there is life smaller than the eye can see Scraped his teeth and found bacteria that causes tooth decay -
Apothecaries
A.k.A., early pharmacies were invented.
Engaged in a flourishing trade in drugs and spices from the East. -
Period: to
18th Century
Many discoveries were made is this century that required a new way of teaching medicine -
Benjamin Franklin
He discovered bifocals
Found that colds can be passed from person to person -
Medical students learning
Students had lectures in classrooms and were able to attend patients at bedside Were able to dissect the body and observe disease process Wider range of students started studying medicine -
Joseph Priestley
Discovered the element oxygen Observed and found that plants refresh air that has lost its oxygen making it usable for respiration -
Edward Jenner
Discovered a method of vaccination for smallpox He found and immunization and to preventive medicine in public health -
Rene Laennec
Invented the stethoscope, which was first made of wood Found out it was easier to hear the heart and lungs allowing the doctors to see if the disease was present -
Period: to
19th and 20th Centuries
Medicine continued to progress rapidly, and the nineteenth century was the beginning of the organized advancement of medical science Many Important events happened during the 19th and 20th centuries -
Ignaz Semmelweis
Found the cause of childbed fever Large numbers of women died from the fever after giving birth Handwashing and cleanliness became an accepted practice due to him. today handwashing is still important thanks to him -
Florence Nightingale
Founder of modern nursing Devoted her life to preparing reports on the need for better sanitation and construction and management of hospital. Designed a hospital ward that improved the environment and care of the patients The design had limited number of beds, permitted circulation of air, had windows on three sides and was clean -
Louis Pasteur
Known as “Father of Microbiology” Discovered tiny microorganism were everywhere Microorganisms can cause disease Heating milk prevented the growth of bacteria Pasteurization kills bacteria in milk Created a vaccine for rabies in 1885 -
Dmitri Ivanoski
In Russia, he discovered caused by microorganisms that cannot be seen with a microscope which are called viruses Diseases caused by viruses are Poliomyelitis, chicken pox, rabies, German measles, Mesles, Herpes zoster, Influenza, Mumps -
Joseph Lister
Learned about Pasteur discovery that microorganisms cause infection He used carbolic acid on wounds to kill germs that cause infection First doctor to use an antiseptic during surgery Using an antiseptic during surgery helped prevent infection in the incision -
Ernst von Bergmann
Developed asepsis Learned from others research/discoveries that germs caused infections in wounds Developed a method to keep an area germ-free before and during surgeries -
Robert Koch
Discovered many disease causing organisms Developed the culture plate method to identify pathogens and isolated the bacterium that causes tuberculosis Introduced the importance of cleanliness and sanitation to prevent spreading diseases -
Paul Ehrlich
Found the effect of medicine on disease causing microorganisms His treatment was effective in killing other bacteria He brought about the use of chemicals to fight disease Found he completed 606 expiraments in his search of using chemicals to fight sephilis -
Wilhelm Roentgen
Discovered the x-ray in 1895 Took the first picture using an x-ray of his wife’s hand Allowed for other doctors to see inside of a patients body and see what’s wrong with them -
Anesthesia
Early physicians used herbs, hashish, and alcohol to help relieve pain of surgery Used to choke patients to cause unconsciousness to stop pain Lots of patients died from shock and pain Nitrous oxide, ether, and chloroform were discovered. Finding these help put patients into a deep sleep without pain and knowing the knowledge of asepsis and the ability to prevent pain during surges helped lead to painless surgeries today -
Sir Alexander Fleming
Found out that penicillin killed life threatening bacterias which is the most important discovery of the 20th century Before it was found, many people died from illnesses that we consider curable today such as pneumonia, gonorrhea, and blood poisoning -
Sigmund Freud
Discovered conscious and unconscious parts of the mind Determined how the mind and body work together Led to understanding of psychosomatic illness His studies were the basis of psychology and psychiatry -
Gerhard Domagk
Discovered sulfonamide compounds First medications effective in killing bacteria They changed the practice of medicine by killing deadly diseases -
Jonas Salk
Discovered that a dead polio virus would cause immunity to poliomyelitis The virus would paralyze thousands of adults and children every year Would attack the most active and athletic people The vaccine saved many people from death -
Albert Sabin
Used a live polio virus vaccine which is more effective The vaccine is used today to immunize babies against the disease -
Francis Crick and James Watson
Discovered the molecular structure of DNA based on its known double helix Explained how DNA replicates and how hereditary information is coded on it Set stage for rapid advances in molecular biology that continue to today Won the Nobel prize in medicine for this discovery -
Christian Barnard
Performed the first successful heart transplant -
Ben Carson
Continues to be a pioneer in separating Siamese twins and performing hemispherectomies, surgeries on the brain to stop seizures -
Period: to
21st Century
Patients and clients are being taught more wellness, they are learning more about self-care Healthy no longer refers to a persons physical health but emotional, social, metal and spiritual wellness -
Diagnoses
Noninvasive techniques for diagnosis -
Unborn Fetuses
The advancement in caring for an unborn fetus -
Severed body parts
The ability to attach severed body parts -
Nurses and Technicians
They are helping patients and clients at home or caring for them in an ambulatory care setting Many patients have surgery and are sent home the same day which is very good so they don’t take up a lot of hospital space -
Organ donors
The ability to transplant organs fro a donor to a recipient