a brief history of medicine part 1 ancient times
TRANSCRIPT
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.