FROM PAST TO PRESENT

Main focus: predatorsDisease did not spread quicklyMedicine rooted in religious or spiritual

beliefsHerbs and plants used as medicinesDigitalis, Quinine, Belladonna, Atropine,

Morphine

Belief that disease and illness caused by demons and evil spirits

Treatment was directed toward eliminating the evil spirit

As civilization developed, changes occurred; people began studying the body and how it functioned

Religion played an important role; illness was a punishment from the gods, and ceremonies were performed to eliminate evil spirits and restore health

Egyptian medicine considered highly advanced

First people to keep written health recordsDocumented ideas such a washing and

shaving a body before surgeryUsed medicines to heal disease and learned

the art of splinting fractures

Had a strong belief in the need to cure the spirit and nourish the entire body

Holistic medicine- stress treating the entire patient, mind, body, soul

Hippocrates- The Father of MedicineDeveloped standard of ethics still used today

—Hippocratic OathRecords created by him and other physicians

helped to establish that disease is caused by natural causes, not supernatural spirits and demons

First to stress a good diet and cleanliness to prevent disease

Realized that some disease was connected to filth, contaminated water, and poor sanitation

Began the development of sanitary systemsBuilt sewers to carry away waste and

aqueducts to deliver clean waterDrained swamps and marshes to reduce

malariaEstablished the first hospital for injured

soldiers

After the fall of the Roman Empire the study of medicine stopped

Individuals lived with little or no personal hygiene

Epidemics of smallpox, typhus, plague were rampant

Monks and priests stressed prayer to treat illness and disease

Brought a renewed interest in medical practices of the Romans and Greeks

Monks obtained and translated the writings of the Greek and Roman physicians

Outbreaks of smallpox, diphtheria, syphilis, tuberculosis

Average life span of 20-35 yearsMany of these diseases are nonexistent

today due to vaccines and medications

Medical universities were createdOften called the Rebirth of the Science of MedicineMajor source of new information about the human

body was a result of accepting and allowing human dissections

Artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were able to draw the body accurately

Doctors could now view the body organs and see the connections between different systems in the body

In the 1300’s(14th century) a major epidemic of bubonic plague killed almost 75% of Europe and AsiaLife span increased to 30-40 years

Physicians gained an increased knowledge of human body

Improvements in surgical proceduresDiscovery of blood circulationMicroscope, mercury thermometer, stethoscope,

bifocals were invented Drugstores startedVaccine to prevent smallpoxAverage life span increased to 40-50 years

Period known as the Industrial RevolutionMajor progress in medical science due to the

development of machines and access to booksDiscovery of microorganisms that caused disease

and development of a process to kill bacteria found in milk

Formal training for nurses began by Florence Nightingale (founder of modern nursing)

Development of American and International Red Cross

antiseptics and asepsis to prevent infection during surgery

Discovery of x-raysUse of anesthesiaRabies vaccine-1885Average life span increased to 40-65years

Showed the most rapid growth in health careNew machines such as Xrays to view the bodyMedicines and antibioticsWatson and Crick described the structure of

DNA and how it carried genetic informationHealth care plans were created to help pay

the cost of careStandards were created so all had equal

access to quality health careAverage life span increased to 60-80 years

Discovery of penicillin and benefitsDiscovery of psychologyMore vaccinesPossibility of eliminating disabling disease

through genetic researchAbility to transplant organsAbility to reattach severed body partsUse of computers to aid in diagnosis,

accurate record keeping and researchUse of noninvasive techniques for diagnosisAdvancement in caring for unborn fetus

Potential for major advances is unlimitedCompletion of Human Genome ProjectEmbryonic stem cell researchCloningBioterrorismPandemics