History of Medicine: Sanitation, Infectious Diseases, and Chronic Diseases

Study Notes

Eras of Medicine

There are three distinct eras in the history of medicine: Sanitary Statistics (Miasma), Infectious Disease Epidemiology (Germ Theory), and Chronic Disease Epidemiology.

Ancient Egyptian Medicine

Egyptian medicine dates back to 3150 B.C.
They kept accurate written health records, with examples including the Edwin Smith Papyrus on surgery and trauma.
Egyptian medicine was heavily influenced by powerful religious beliefs, involving gods such as Thot, the god of healing.
Practices included bloodletting, monthly purging, prosthetic devices, and embalming.
Surgeons in ancient Egypt were both priests and doctors.

Greek Medicine

Hippocrates (460-370 B.C.) is known as the Father of Medicine.
He was the first to attempt to separate the practice of medicine from religion and superstition.
He wrote "On Airs, Waters, and Places" (400 BC), the earliest reference to epidemiologic thinking.
The Hippocratic Oath originated from Hippocrates' teachings.

Galen's Contributions

Galen was a physician, anatomist, and surgeon to gladiators.
He had 20 scribes who documented his work.
He dissected animals to study anatomy and applied his knowledge to humans.
He wrote about wounds being "windows to the body".
He believed that a motive of profit was incompatible with a serious devotion to medicine.
He was a proponent of the miasma theory of infection, which blamed infection on poisonous gases.
He derived the concept of the 4 humors (black bile, yellow bile, blood, and phlegm) from the 4 elements: earth, air, fire, and water.

Description

Explore the evolution of medicine through three distinct eras: Sanitary Statistics focusing on Miasma, Infectious Disease Epidemiology based on Germ Theory, and Chronic Disease Epidemiology. Learn about ancient Egyptian medicine, with practices like mummification and religious beliefs in gods like Thot.