History of Medicine-Ashton Smith

Primitive Times

4000 BCE

illness was caused by evil spirits and demons
illness was a punishment by the gods
witch doctors treated illness with ceremonies and rituals
herbs and plants were often used as or in medications

18th Century

1700 BCE

Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686-1736) created the first mercury thermometer
Smallpox vaccine discovered 1798
John Hunter (1728-1793), established scientific surgical procedures and introduced tube feeding
Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals
Average life span 40-50 years

Ancient Egyptians

300 BCE

physicians were priests
first recorded health records
blood letting and leeches used as treatment
trepanation or removing part of the skull surgically

Ancient Chinese

220

Belief in treating the whole body by curing the spirit and nourishing the body
recorded a pharmacopoeia of medications mainly the use of herbs
used therapies like acupuncture
began to search for medical reasons of illness

Ancient Greeks

220

Hippocrates and other physicians
first to observe the body and the effects of disease
believed illness was natural
used therapies like massages, art, and herbal
stressed diet, exercise, and hygiene as ways to prevent disease

Ancient Romans

410

first to organize medical care by providing care for injured soldiers
Later hospitals were religious and charitable institutions in monasteries and convents
First public health and sanitation systems by building sewers and aqueducts
Galen established belief that the body was regulated by four body humors; blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile

Dark Ages

800

Emphasis on saving the soul and study of medicine was prohibited
Prayer and divine intervention were used to treat illness & disease
Monks and priests provided custodial care for sick people
Medications were mainly herbal mixtures
Average life span was 20-30 years
Disease Cause still blamed on circumstance, but no understanding

Middle Ages

1400

Renewed interest in medical practices of Greek and Romans
Bubonic Plague, 1300s killed 75% of population in Europe and Asia
Major diseases included smallpox, diphtheria, tuberculosis, typhoid, the plaque, and malaria
Medical Universities were established in the 9th Century
Arabs began requiring physicians pass examinations and obtain licenses

16th/17th Century

1599

Knowledge regarding the human body GREATLY increased
Invention of the microscope
Allowed physicians to see disease-causing organisms.
HUGE advancement
Apothecaries (early pharmacists) made, prescribed, and sold medications
Ambroise Pare (1510-1590), a French surgeon, known as the Father of Modern Surgery established use of ligatures to stop bleeding
Average life span 35-45 years
Cause of disease still not known – many people died from infections

Renaissance

1650

Rebirth of Science of Medicine
Body Dissections led to increased understanding of anatomy and physiology
Invention of printing press allowed medical knowledge to be shared
First anatomy book was published by Andreas Vesalius in 1514-1564

19th Century

1800

Rapid advancements due to discoveries of microorganisms, anesthesia, and vaccinations
First Open Heart Surgery - 1893
Infection control developed once microorganisms were associated with disease
Invention of the stethoscope - 1816
Formal training for nurses began
Women became active participants in health care
Average life span 40-60 years

20th Cenutry

1900

RAPID GROWTH in Health Care
Increased knowledge about the role of blood in the body
ABO blood groups discovered
Found out how white blood cells protect against disease
The structure of DNA and research in gene therapy (Ongoing)
New medications were developed
Insulin discovered and used to treat diabetes
Antibiotics developed to fight infections

New machines developed
X-Ray
Kidney Dialysis Machine
Heart Lung Machine

20th Century Vaccines

1900

Diptheria – 1921
Tuberculosis – 1925
Pertussis – 1927
Typhus – 1937
Influenza – 1945
Oral Polio – 1962
Measles – 1963
Mumps – 1967
Rubella – 1970
Chicken Pox – 1974
Streptococcus Pneumonia – 1977
Meningitis – 1978
Hepatitis B – 1981
Hepatitis A – 1992
Lyme Disease – 1998
Rotavirus - 1998

21st Century

2000

The first implantable artificial heart was placed in a patient in Louisville, Ky 2001
Human Genome Project
Map out human diseases in effort to get a handle on genetic/autoimmune diseases
advances in Stem Cell Research
Re-Create damaged tissue
Advances in HIV Meds
Turned a fatal disease to a manageable chronic disease
Targeted Cancer Therapy
Slow spread of cancer by blocking cells involved in tumor growth
Laparoscopic Surgery
HPV - 2006
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
Malaria – 2015
Ebola - 2015