A Brief History Of Medicine

Part 1

Ancient Times

People have had illness.People have tried to explain the cause of

disease.Humans have sought cures for

sicknesses.

Throughout History

Sickness vs. Injury

Humans have long understood the difference between sickness and injury.

Prehistoric Medicine

Time Period

3000 BC to 20,000 BCIncludes many Stone Age cultures

Bronze Age Iron Age

Life span usually 25 to 40 yearsVery little evidence available

Archaeological evidenceNo written records

Common Diseases

ArthritisInfections after injuryGum diseaseInfected teeth (abscess)

Causes of Disease

Supernatural Causes: Evil spirits Angry ancestors

Actual Causes: Less varied diets Malnutrition Cleanliness Issues

Cures & Medicine

Herbs were commonly used

Uses discovered by trial & error

http://www.abpischools.org.uk/res/coResourceImport/resources04/history/index-2.cfm

Items Used

Natural oils Used snakeroot to

calm patients. Used foxglove to

stimulate the heart. Used fungus to stop

bleeding

Cures & Medicine

Medicine Man or Shaman

Religious ceremonies to counter evil spirits

Used charms, spells, and amulets

Major Accomplishments

Use of clay to set broken bones

Major Accomplishments

Trepanning – primitive brain surgery Goal = release evil spirits

Ancient Egypt

Time Period

3000 BC to 300 AD Nile River Valley

Common Diseases

Records show knowledge of many different sicknesses

Common cold Stomach ailmentsCataracts and eye diseasesMalaria, plague, perhaps smallpoxParasitic diseases (Schistosomiasis)Leprosy, polio, tuberculosis

Causes of Disease

Evil gods and demons were responsible for disease

People wore amulets to ward off evil

Mummification

Knew location of major organs in the body

Understood function of most organs

Cures & Medicine

Doctors/Priests specialized in medicine

Earliest recorded doctor was Hesy-Ra from 27th dynasty BC

Had physicians (first culture to have doctors)

http://www.abpischools.org.uk/res/coResourceImport/resources04/history/index-2.cfm

Herbs were used

Pharmacists were skilled at preparing herbs

Garlic & onion Cumin & coriander Over 700

“medicines” on record

Some Herbal Remedies

Honey and milk were used for the respiratory system as well as throat irritation.

Honey was wisely used to disinfect wounds. Aloe Vera was used to treat worms, relieve headaches, and

soothe burns. Frankincense was used to treat throat and larynx infections. Dill was used to reduce flatulence and as a laxative Caraway was used to treat flatulence and as a breath freshener Balsam Apple or Apple of Jerusalem was used as a laxative Thyme was used as a pain reliever Poppy seeds were used to relieve insomnia, head aches, and as

an anesthetic

Cures & Medicine

Simple surgery Even amputations Setting broken

bones Carving shows

medical instruments Used ointments as

anesthesia in surgery

A Few Cures

Cure for Indigestion Crush a hog's tooth

and put it inside of four sugar cakes, and eat for four days.

Cure for Lesions of the Skin

After the scab has fallen off, mix it with fresh milk and apply it as a poultice to the wound

For baldness: fat of lion, fat of hippo, fat of cat, fat of crocodile, fat of ibex, and fat of serpent, are mixed together and applied to the head.

Spiritual “Cures”

The Egyptians sometimes used spells to cure illnesses.

These would be said over a sick person: “O Spirit, male of female, who lurks hidden in my flesh and in my limbs, get out of my flesh. Get out of my limbs!"

Remedy for a mother and child: “Come! You who drives out evil things from my stomach and my limbs. He who drinks this shall be cured just as the gods above were cured."

Belief in Good Health Habits

Bathing Shaving Special diets to

purify the body Don’t eat raw fish or

unclean animals

Who Were Imhotep, Hesy Re, and Peshet?

Imhotep was the founder of Egyptian medicine. We do not know if he was the first physician, but he was definitely a candidate for it. Imhotep was born in 2560 B.C. in Memphis. Imhotep was best known for his engineering and architecture, not as a doctor.

Hesy Re is another candidate for the first physician. He lived in Egypt around 2600 B.C. He was also one of the first people to perform oral surgery.

Peshet was the first female physician. She lived in Egypt around 2500 B.C.

Major Accomplishments

Written records of diseases & treatments

Made connection between pulse & the heart

Used compression to stop bleeding

Ancient Middle East

Time Period

Ancient Babylon (modern-day Iraq)

3000 BC to 1500 BC

Causes of Disease

Often blamed on spirits, ghosts, etc.

Each spirit was responsible for a specific body part

Major Accomplishments

Babylonians introduced the concepts of diagnosis, prognosis, physical examination, and medical prescriptions

Medical Men called “Ashipu”

Means "sorcerer." Most important task was to

diagnose the ailment Determined which god or

demon was causing the illness. Attempted to determine if the

disease was the result of some error or sin on the part of the patient

The phrase, "the Hand of..." was used to indicate the god or spirit responsible for the sickness

Charms and spells were used to entice away or drive out the spirit causing the disease

Next, the Asu

Specialist in herbal remedies

Called "physician" because he dealt in what were often classifiable as empirical applications of medication.

For example, when treating wounds the asu generally relied on three fundamental techniques: washing, bandaging, and making plasters. All three of these techniques of the asu appear in the world's oldest known medical document (c. 2100 BCE).

Ancient India

Time Period

Around 800 BC, first book on medicine and surgery was complied in ancient India

Causes of Disease

Ayurveda was a science of medicine begun in about 1000 BC

1st scientific study of medicine

Uses medicinal herbs

No beliefs in supernatural causes

Major Accomplishments

Shushruta- Samhita is the oldest treatise dealing with surgery.

The main medical practitioners were Atraya, Charaka and Shusruta.

Shushruta studied human anatomy with an aid of a dead body.

He had described in great detail 8 branches of surgery

Major Accomplishments

Plastic surgery and ophthalmology (removing cataracts)

The restoration of mutilated nose or rhinoplasty was one of the greatest contributions of Shushruta.

The success rate was very high attracting people from all the country and outside. He meticulously carried out the operation almost similar to the steps followed by modern day plastic surgeons.

What people knew

People knew flies could cause illnesses like stomach ache and diarrhea.

They knew that other raw food could also cause diseases.

During smallpox outbreaks doctors told people to stay inside or away from somebody who had it.