History of Healthcare

Early Beginnings Primitive human begins – no electricity, few tools, and poor shelter. –Predators –Superstitious –Exorcise

Herbs and plants as medicine Digitalis Comes from foxglove plant Given in pill form, IV, or injection Strengthen or slow heartbeat Quinine Comes from bark of chinchona tree Controls fever, relieves muscle spasms, and helps prevent malaria

Herbs and plants as medicine –Belladonna and Atropine Made from poisonous nightshade plant Relieve muscle spasm (GI) –Morphine Made from opium poppy Relieves severe pain Addicting and used when nothing else will help.

Medicine in ancient times Accurate Observation

Egyptians – Earliest people to keep accurate records – Called upon gods to heal them – Learned to identify certain diseases – Used medicines to heal diseases – Learned the art of splinting fractures

Greeks –First to study the causes of diseases –Kept records on what they observed and what they thought caused diseases –Helped eliminate superstition because of research –Found that some diseases were caused by lack of sanitation

Greeks –Aqueducts –Sewers –Public baths with filtering systems –Beginning of public health and sanitation –Did not believe that supernatural forces caused disease

Note: During ancient times, religious customs did not allow bodies to be dissected.

Hipprocates (ca B.C.) –Father of medicine –Based his knowledge of anatomy and physiology on observation of the external body. –Kept notes of signs and symptoms of diseases

Hipprocates (ca B.C.) –Found that disease was not caused by supernatural forces –Wrote standard of ethics called the oath of Hipprocates.

Romans –First to organize medical care –M.D.’s and equipment traveled with armies –Dr.’s kept ill room in house –Beginning of hospitals –Roman government paid physicians –Death mask

Dark Ages (A.D ) Middle Ages (A.D ) –Roman empire conquered –For 1,000 years medicine was practiced only in convents & monasteries. –Custodial care –Herbal mixes

Renaissance (A.D ) –Rebirth of learning –Developments –Dissection Once was prohibited by religion

Current and future research –AIDS –CA –Diabetes –Cure for genetic disorders –Improved treatment for colds and arthritis –Isolation of gene that causes depression –Use of electronics that help disabled people walk –Nutritional therapy to decrease # of cases of schizophrenia

Medical Ethics –Medicine will always have to determine if practice is or isn’t ethical. –What is the single most effective way to prevent or reduce infection?