Then & Now: …disease & technology through the ages Part I
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The journey begins . . .
Long before humans were on earth, there was disease
This prehistoric bear claw reveals arthritis on distal phalanges Bony lipping at interphalangeal joints indicates arthritis
Animals often retreated to caves to die & that is where many bony remains were found. Arthritic bones were so common that archeologists began to refer to prehistoric arthritis as cave gout Gout It is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint, causing inflammation. In the early stages, gouty arthritis usually occur in one joint, but with time, it can occur in many joints and be quite crippling. The joints in gout can often become swollen and lose function.
Prehistoric Neanderthal Man Excavation & reconstruction of skeletal remains revealed: a stooped, rounded-shouldered, skeleton with curved spine & bent knees. Image: answersingenesis.org
AH-HA!!! A gorilla-type man… THE MISSING LINK! Early speculation by anthropologists: AH-HA!!! A gorilla-type man… THE MISSING LINK! Image: usernetsite.com
Scientists now think Neanderthal Man’s stooped stature to be that of a man with osteoporosis & advanced arthritis. kotaku.com
Primitive people were superstitious & believed illness was caused by invasion of evil spirits supernatural forces Prehistoric people were hunter-gatherers. They lived in small groups and constantly moved around the country seeking out the best conditions for shelter and food supplies. In order to explain the many things in the world they could not otherwise understand, they believed in spirits.
CheckPoint© 1. What existed long before humans were on earth? a. Java bear b. disease c. evil spirits d. herpes .
CheckPoint cont. 2. Prehistoric arthritis was so common that archeologists referred to it as: a. bear fever b. bony calluses c. cave gout d. field fasciitis .
c. was an aberrant primate d. was the “missing link” . CheckPoint cont. 3. Early speculation of Neanderthal man’s skeletal remains was that he: a. had arthritis b. had a broken back c. was an aberrant primate d. was the “missing link” .
Disease & PREHISTORIC MAN Archeological evidence revealed prehistoric man suffered from: tuberculosis & parasite infestations under calcified bones (osteoporosis) caries (decayed teeth) eroded teeth from pyorrhea (discharge of pus from inflamed gums) skeletal fractures
Health Issues for PREHISTORIC WOMEN Archeological evidence revealed prehistoric woman had much shorter lifespan than men. Most common reason for early death: difficult childbirth Also had weakened immune systems birthing & nursing children best food for men & boys since they would be leaders, hunters, & warriors
Therapeutic techniques used by ancient healers/shaman praying chanting hallucinogenic trances http://www.angelfire.com/ca/beekeeper/plants.html Communication with the spirit world has been part of religion from the beginning. In many societies the shaman is the means by which communication with these numinous powers is accomplished. Typically the shaman will go into a trance state in order to enter into the realm of the ethereal world where this meeting takes place. In many societies this is done with the help of hallucinogenic plants.
Ancient medicinal tools of the trade: facial & body paints to scare away evil spirits wood splints for injuries casts from hardened hide for fractures bone needles to sew lacerations (used strips of animal tendon as thread)
CheckPoint 4. The most common reason women had a shorter life span than men was that they…? a. were killed while gathering food b. didn’t eat as well as men c. died in childbirth.
5. Archeological evidence revealed that ancients had osteoporosis. CheckPoint cont. 5. Archeological evidence revealed that ancients had osteoporosis. a. True b. False . 6. Name one way that primitive people treated wounds.
Prehistoric medicinal herbs
Treatment for failing heart Foxglove Plant Drug: digitalis -strengthens & slows heart publications.nigms.nih.gov
Treatment that stops bleeding & acts as disinfectant Birch Fungus -a laxative when ingested The Iceman's Birch Fungus On two strips of hide attached to his clothing, the Iceman carried spherical walnut-sized forms made of birch fungus. This birch fungus served a medicinal purpose; the active ingredients of the tree fungus stop bleeding and acted as a disinfectant. blue-grey.blogspot.com
Treatment of toothaches & oral infections Peek-a-boo plant -also known as the “toothache plant” sunriseseeds.com Chewed leaves or flower head which numbs tongue & mouth
Bark of Cinchona (sin-kO-nah) tree Treatment for malaria Bark of Cinchona (sin-kO-nah) tree Drug: Quinine hubpages.com -used for malaria’s fever & muscle spasms
Opium poppy Drug: Morphine -highly addictive Treatment for relief of severe pain Opium poppy Drug: Morphine -highly addictive Cultivation of opium poppies for anesthesia and ritual purposes date back to at least the Neolithic Age. The Sumerian, Egyptian, India, Greek, Roman each made widespread use of opium, which was the most potent form of pain relief then available, allowing ancient surgeons to perform prolonged surgical procedures.
Treatment for spastic colon, gastric ulcers, and slow heart rate Belladonna Plant (Deadly Nightshade plant) Drug: Atropine ancient women used it to dilate eyes—thought it made them look beautiful thepoisongarden.co.uk The common name belladonna originates from its historic use by women - Bella Donna is Italian for beautiful lady. Drops prepared from the Belladonna plant were used to dilate women's pupils, an effect considered attractive. Today it is known that the atropine in Belladonna acts as an antimuscarinic.
CheckPoint 7. Birch fungus was used to: (Mark all that apply.) a. scare away evil spirits b. disinfect a wound c. stop bleeding d. thin blood .
CheckPoint cont. MATCHING: quinine digitalis belladonna peek-a-boo plant morphine . 8. Strengthens & slows heartbeat 9. Numbs oral lesions or tooth pain 10. Used to treat bradycardia & dilate eyes 11. Treatment for malaria 12. Treatment for severe pain .
Examples of good medicine! Frightening or cajoling evil spirits out of its victim (then casting offending spirit to vermin or cockroach & stomping on it)
Trepanation (drilling hole in head) -to treat headaches and odd behavior http://www.britishempire.co.uk/boniface/humanities/history/year10/prehistoric.htm treatment was thought to “release evil spirits”
Sucking & vomiting “doctor” blew tobacco smoke over patient then gulp in large amounts of smoke until he/she became nauseated began sucking on patient’s chest (to remove evil spirit) vomit to purge evil, then bury vomit
Besides healing, shamans were also responsible for warding off All potential catastrophes bad weather unyielding crops unsuccessful hunts enemy warriors
CheckPoint 13. Briefly describe the practice used to treat headaches / peculiar behavior. . 14. Other than the treatment above, give an example of “good medicine”.
Medicine & Primary Ancient Societies
The Egyptians 3150 BC 1st to keep accurate written health records The ancient Egyptian people did not move around like the prehistoric people. Some areas, such as the Nile valley were fertile and offered greater security for settlements to farm and so survive all year round. People settled in towns and not everybody had to till the soil for survival, some became the first priests and doctors. Public health problems began to emerge when large numbers of people lived together. Patients were examined and simple surgery was performed. The Egyptians had powerful religious beliefs, with many gods e.g. Thoth, god of healing. Gods still provided the explanation for afflictions such as illness for which there was no obvious cause. They believed in life after death and preserved the bodies of important people by mummification for the afterlife.
Ancient Egyptians practiced: bloodletting monthly purging making prosthetic devices embalming dodd.cmcvellore.ac.in
Prosthetic, wood & leather “great toe” found on foot of Egyptian mummy Image: scienceblogs.com
Surgeons in ancient Egypt were both priests & doctors, blending ritual with medicine Preparing for surgery
Ancient India 3300 BC
Detected diabetes by smelling & tasting urine (for sweetness) Image: rupeenews.com
Practiced surgical procedures such as: hernia repairs amputations C-sections cosmetic surgery to nose, earlobes, & harelips heritagekerala.com
Drawing of plastic surgery-- flap to replace nose ispub.com
CheckPoint 15. Name one medical practice of Ancient Egyptians. 16. How did Ancient Indians check for diabetes?. 17. Name one surgical procedure used by the Ancient Indians.
Ancient China 15 Century BC
Illness still seen as violation of a god. Male doctors didn’t directly examine women. used ivory dolls antiquescientifica.com Anatomical manikins and Chinese diagnostic dolls are among the many interesting artifacts found in medical history collections. Ivory female figurines were used by Chinese doctors during a house call. The Chinese custom dictated that a woman must not be physically examined by a male physician. The female patient marked the area of pain or discomfort on the doll and passed it thru a curtain without being seen by the doctor. women would use doll & point to “problem” area
Also used acupuncture to treat ailments Idea behind acupuncture - stimulating energy points with needles/pressure relieved obstructions enabling body to heal. Image: health.howstuffworks.com The ancient Chinese used ginseng to balance the body's chi, those natural negative and positive energies that are represented by the body's various organs and functions. If taken regularly ginseng was said to substantially increase your inner strength and prolong your life span.
Ancient Chinese Herb Pharmacy Ancient Chinese used variety herbs were to treat diseases Ginseng – reduces stress Ancient Chinese Herb Pharmacy Rhubarb – body strength Licorice – muscle spasms Ginger – treats diarrhea The use of Chinese medicine herbs goes more than 2,500 years back, during the time of the Zhou Dynasty. During this period, diseases were known to be works of the devil, and herbs were used to throw away the evil intruders of the body. Peony – regulates blood Salvia – relieves pain of inflammation
Many Chinese herbs were prepared as teas Image: kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com
CheckPoint 18. How did Ancient Chinese doctors diagnose women?. 19. Which of the following practices was commonly used in Ancient China? water therapy b. acupuncture c. feverfew herb extract d. sucking & vomiting .
20. Name one herb used by the Ancient Chinese. CheckPoint cont. 20. Name one herb used by the Ancient Chinese.
The journey continues . . . -The End-