HISTORY OF HEALTH

CARE

PRIMITIVE TIMES

• 4000 to 3000 BC

• People believed that

illness was caused by

supernatural beings.

• Several herbs and

plants were used as

medicine.

ANCIENT EGYPTIANS AND

BABYLONIANS

• Egyptians – 3000 BC

▫ Magic and religion

▫ Conservative physicians

▫ Imhotep

• Babylonians – 2000 BC

▫ Similar to Egyptians

▫ Physicians are paid for services

• Both cultures had poor sanitation and hygiene.

ANCIENT HINDUS AND CHINESE

• Hindus – 1500 BC

▫ Hospitals and Nurses

▫ Many types of surgeries

▫ Knowledge of drugs

▫ Sewers

• Chinese – 3000 BC

▫ Documented over 1000

medical herbs

▫ Acupuncture

ANCIENT GREEKS

• 2000 to 400 BC

• Hippocrates

▫ Father of Medicine

▫ Observation and Note-

taking

▫ Hippocratic Oath

• Aristotle

▫ Anatomy

ANCIENT ROMANS

• 200 BC to 500 AD

• Claudius Galen

▫ Ignored the practice of

patient observation

▫ Four body fluids

▫ Many flawed theories

• Established superior

drainage systems and

set up public hospitals

DARK AGES

• 542 AD – First episode of

the bubonic plague.

• Rome is overthrown by

barbarians, and the

study of medicine is

forbidden.

• People return to religion,

magic, and folklore to

cure disease.

THE END OF AN ERA

• Many medical discoveries were made during the ancient time period. However, the era ended just as it began.

• The majority of people who lived in the ancient world believed that sickness was directly linked to a supernatural being.

• They believed that sickness could only be cured through obedience, prayer, and religious rites.

MIDDLE AGES

• 800 to 1300 AD

• Moslem Arab Empire

▫ Pharmacology

▫ Rhazes

• First medical school

• Common people are

treated by barber

surgeons.

BLACK DEATH

• 1347 to 1352 AD

• Second episode of the bubonic plague

• Over one-third of Europe’s population died.

• Many Europeans challenge the belief that religion is the cure for disease.

THE RENAISSANCE

• 1350 to 1700 AD

• Many Europeans reject

their commitment to

religion.

• Andreas Vesalius

published the first

human anatomy book.

• The microscope is

invented.

RESULT OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND RENAISSANCE

• Reason and intellect

had replaced religion

and superstition in the

medical field.

• The cause of disease

was still a mystery.

• Typical life span was

about 40 years.

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

• 1700 and 1800’s

• Advances in chemistry and physics

• Louis Pasteur develops pasteurization.

• Joseph Lister develops methods of medical asepsis.

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

• 1778 - John Hunter inserts a feeding tube into a patient.

• 1796 - Edward Jenner gives the first vaccination.

• 1822 - William Beaumont fully describes the digestive system.

• Mid 1800’s - Anesthetics are used for surgeries.

• Early 1900’s - Elias Metnikoff explains the function of white blood cells.

THE MODERN ERA

• 1900 to Present

• 1932 – Sir Alexander

Fleming discovered

penicillin.

• Early 1900’s –

Wilhelm von

Roentgen

developed the X-

ray machine.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

• Francis Crick and James

Watson discover DNA.

• Organ transplants

become successful.

• Infertile couples have

children through in vitro

fertilization.

• Childhood vaccinations

eliminate many viral

diseases.

HEALTH INSURANCE

• Health insurance

plans were

developed in the

1920’s.

• Medicare and

Medicaid.

• Hospitals were

organized into

specialized units.

THE FUTURE

• The future of

medicine is full of

promise.

• Medical innovations

should be explored

with caution.

• Health care workers

must stay open-

minded and flexible.

Printing Organs