Galen (who developed the idea of the
four humours) based his treatment on
the theory of opposites, therefore if
you had to much phlegm (which is
linked to water and cold) you should
eat hot peppers.
Claudius Galen : Greek Doctor, worked in
"Ancient Rome", wrote many books about his
theorums and the human anatomy and
treatments for disease, he was the basis of
medical training
During the 12th century universities
set up medical schools where
physicians trained.
Understanding Genetics
1) During the 19th Century Mendel showed
how human characteristics could be passed
between generations.
2) In the 20th Century new technology (Electronic
microscopes, X-Rays) let scientists analyse human
cells in greater detail, they found that every cells
contains DNA.
3) Watson and Crick worked
together on how genetic codes
of DNA fitted together.
4) They analysed X-Rays
from crystallography by
Maurice Wilkins and
Rosalind Franklin at Kings
College Hospital (London)
and eventually worked out
the "double helix"
structure of DNA in
(1953).
5) In 1990 James Watson led the Human Genome
Project and started identifying and mapping every
gene in human DNA.
Treating the sick 1350
Who treated the sick?
Physicians: Medically trained at university and passed
exams, expensive, diagnosed illnesses, used mostly by
welthy.
Barber Surgeons: No Training, Carried out
bloodletting, teeth, lancing boils, did basic
surgery. Cost less than a physician.
Monks and Nun: Ran hospitals using church
donations, cared for the ill, elderly and poor.
And was free.
House wife Physicians: Village house woman,
treated local people, childbirth and common
illnesses, remedies and herbs / charms and
spells. Cheapest and most accessible.
Apothecaires: Received training, no qualifications,
mixed medicine and ointments, based on
knowledge or direction from physicians.
The Black Death
What it was: Bubonic plague, carried by flees
living on black rat, is passed to humans when
infected flees bite and the disease enters the
blood.
The Renaissance
Term given go a period in European history meaning "rebirth" and
renewed interest in Ancient Greek and Roman ideas. Its saw a rebirth of
theories and ideas in medicine that people tested and challenged. It was
a great period for exploration, when the people of Europe "discovered"
new parts of the world bringing new plants from Africa and America, that
was useful in medicine.
Andreas Vesalius: Professor of Surgery at Padua University
(Italy), proved many of Galen's ideas wrong/ incorrect. Wrote
the book "The Fabric Of The Human Body", including scetches
of muscles, nerves, organs and skeletons of the human body
from dissections.
William Harvey: A London doctor, discovered and
proved that Galen's ideas about the blood was
wrong, he discovered that veins carry only blood,
which was pumped through the body by the heart .
And published his findings in "A Anatomical Account"
of the motion of the heart and blood in animals.
Technology Improvement; Better microscope lenses,
helped discover bacteria, invention of mechanical pumps
helped people understand that the human body works like
a machine.
Impact on medicine: Causes of diseases still not
understood, Harvey's and Versalius' were slow to be
accepted over Galen's due to the church, old
treatment was still being used.
Industrialisation
The Industrial Revolution (1750- 1900)
Changing Society: Invention of machines (MAJOR
FACTOR) meant that there was less work for people in
the countryside. Towns and cites grew rapidly in
population, factories were built, this had a big impact on
peoples health
Causes of disease: Between 1750 and 1850 people came to believe more
strongly in a rational, scientific explanation for disease. With ideas such as
Miasma- "Bad Air" filled with fumes from rotting materials, and Germs- produced
by rotting animals and plants "spontaneous generation".
The Problems:
poor quality, housing- little ventilation, damp rooms.
overcrowding, cramped living conditions-several families
lived in one house.
little fresh food in big towns cities
poor working conditions-
factories were often damp, with
little ventilation
accidents in factories
working long hours
Drinking water often
polluted by sewers
Killer diseases: cholera, diphtheria,
smallpox, tuberculosis(TB) and
typhoid. Often caused by
contaminated water and easily
spread in poor living conditions, two
thirds who caught cholera died!
Treatments for cholera included
burning the dead bodies, clothes and
bedding, praying and having lucky
charms, clean houses using chloride of
lime, smoke cigars and burn tar or
vinegar to crate smoke on the streets.
Breakthroughs 1750- 1900
Jenner and Vaccinations: Smallpox was a
common disease in the 1720's and it was
sometimes deadly depending on the severity of
it, Edward Jenner inoculated several people with
the pus from a cowpox blister and found that
they developed immunity to smallpox. (Cowpox
is not deadly)
1798- The Royal Society refused to
publish Jenner's ideas, so he paid to print
pamphlets explaining his work.
1802: Jennerian Society was set
up to promote vaccinations.
By 1840: The Government began paying
for vaccinations.
1853: The Government made
vaccinations compulsory.
1979: The World Health Organisation
(WHO) announced smallpox had been
wiped out.
Opposition to Jenner: Many thought is was wrong to
give humans an animals disease, it interfered with
"God's Plan", doctors lost money, some doctors
didn't vaccinate patients properly, therefore it didn't
work
Jenner's Importance: He wiped out
smallpox, and saved millions of lives.
However didn't know the theory behind
it, was unique therefore other
vaccines couldn't be made from it.
Germ Theory: 1861, Louis Pasteur (French Chemist)
published his "Germ Theory", explaining that microbes
(germs) in the air cause decay.
Robert Kock: (who has read Pastuer's work) linked bacteria to
disease, and identified that specific microbes cause anthrax in
sheep, and microbes causing TB and Cholera. He discovered
that that chemical dyes stain bacteria, which made them easier
to study underneath a microscope.
After work in 1879, Pastuer's team of scientists
discovered that a weakened versions of a disease-
causing microbe could be used as a vaccine to create
immunity form that disease.
Professionalising Medicine
Improvement in medical training: teaching hospitals were
developed allowing students to observe the surgery, students
dissected bodies to understand human anatomy. Following
Pasteur's "Germ Theory" there was more emphasis on studying
microbes, though a microscope. Training including how to use
improved technology such as thermometers and stethoscopes to
help diagnose illness.
Midwives: Were mostly women, but after forceps
were introduced in the 17th Century their numbers fell
because of lack of training and not being needed,
instead "Men- Midwives" were more common and
treated the richer women.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson:
1) Women were not allowed to become
doctor. Elizabeth (A Nurse) defied the system
and went to medical lectures until she was
forced to stop, then studied privately.
2) The Society of Apothecaires did not bar
women and Elizabeth passed their
exams in 1865. After a court case she was
a certified doctor but the Society later
changed its rules to prevent women
qualifying.
3) She set up a medical practice in London
and gained a medical degree at university
in Paris. She helped set up the New
Hospital For Women and the London
School Of Medicine for Women.
4) She set up an important precedent,
and in 1876 women were allowed to go
to university and obtain degrees.
Florence Nightingale
1) Nursing wasn't seen as a respectable job
for women and there was little training.
2) Florence Nightingale attended the first
nurses' training school Kaiserweth Hospital,
Germany.
3) She was asked to lead a team of nurses at
the military hospital in Scutari during the
Crimean Way (1854-56).
4) She believed in Miasma caused disease, so
emphasised hygiene, fresh air, good supplies
and training for nurses. Her approach lowered
the death rate at Scutari hospital form 42% to
2%.
5) He work was widely reported in newspapers in
Britain. She published books on nursing and
hospital organisations and set up a training school
for nurses/ midwives.
Treatment 1750-1900
Improvement in treatment:
1) People still used heral remedies
but had less access to plants so
were more reliant on apothecaires.
2) Pills were made by hand until William
Brockendon 1844 that invented a machine
that standardised dosage and increased
production speed.
3) Apothecaires and quack doctors
sold patent medicines, advertised as
cures for everything.
4) Money could be made from patent
medicines, which encouraged groath of the
pharaceutical industry.
5) Jesse Boot turned one small
shop into a chain of pharmacies.
6) By 1900 The Government brought in
regulations to prevent harmful ingredients being
used in medicines.
7) New understanding of the cause s of disease
had a little impact on prevention or treatment until
the 20th Century.
Key Figures
Hippocrates: Created the idea of "The Four Humours"
Pare: French army surgeon, discovered soothing lotions
were better at healing wounds.
Harvey: Discovered and Published that the heart
was a pump.
Lister: Developed the use of " Carbolic Acid" and used it as
an antiseptic, to reduce death rate in surgeries.
Simpsons: Used Chloroform as a form of anaesthetic being
much more acceptable, as Queen Victoria used it during
childbirth, this paved the way for many further
improvements in the use of painkillers during operations.
Fleming: A Civil Servant who wrote an important report
on the living and working conditions of labouring classes,
his work resulted in Public Health being improved by The
Government of the day.