Lesson 1: History of Medical Technology

Study Notes

Medical technologists, or clinical laboratory scientists, perform essential lab tests that inform doctors' diagnostic and treatment decisions.
Precision in lab results is critical as inaccuracies can have life-or-death consequences.
Responsibilities include conducting a range of tests from simple procedures, like pregnancy tests, to complex analyses for diseases like diabetes and cancer.

Heinemann: Application of scientific principles for laboratory tests aiding in diagnosis and treatment.
Fagelson: Concerned with laboratory analyses for health and disease management.
Walters: Focuses on laboratory analyses necessary for diagnosing and maintaining health.
R.A 5527: Examines tissues and fluids to assist physicians in disease diagnosis and health promotion.

Diseases were initially viewed as mysterious phenomena linked to environmental factors and body fluids.
Hippocrates, known as the Father of Medicine, emphasized the qualitative assessment of disorders through the observation of bodily fluids.
The four humors theory—phlegm, blood, yellow bile, and black bile—was foundational in ancient medical thought surrounding disease causes.

Hippocrates: Linked urine characteristics to kidney disease and established early principles of diagnosis based on urine examination.
Galen: Coined "diarrhea of urine" to describe diabetes and connected fluid intake to urine volume.
Uroscopy became a standard practice in medieval Europe, with the first detailed book on urine characteristics published by 900 AD.

11th Century: Medical practitioners faced restrictions against physical examinations, relying on patient-described symptoms for diagnosis.
18th Century: Mechanical techniques and cadaver dissections advanced the objectivity of diagnoses, although public reluctance persisted towards physical examinations.
19th Century: Introduction of machines for diagnosis marked a transition to more systematic medical practices, allowing physicians to employ technology in disease detection and treatment.

The progression of medical technology served as a response to high mortality rates during events like the Bubonic plague, transforming medicine into a remedy for widespread illnesses.

Medical technologists play a critical role in hospitals, conducting tests that inform doctors' diagnoses and treatments.
Accuracy in test results is vital as these professionals may directly influence life-and-death situations.
Responsibilities range from simple tests like pregnancy tests to advanced diagnostics for diseases such as diabetes, AIDS, and cancer.

Heinemann: Application of natural, physical, and biological sciences in laboratory procedures for disease diagnosis and treatment.
Fagelson: Focuses on laboratory determinations used in diagnosis and health maintenance.
Walters: Health profession specializing in laboratory analyses essential for disease management and health.
R.A. 5527: Describes medical technology as an auxiliary branch that examines bodily tissues and fluids to assist in disease diagnosis and health promotion.

Early human understanding of disease linked it to environmental factors and body fluid imbalances.
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, and Galen explored the association between the four humors and diseases, influencing medical thought.
Ancient practices included uroscopy and qualitative assessments based on urine characteristics.

11th Century: Medical examinations were primarily subjective, relying on patient descriptions rather than physical assessments.
18th Century: Introduction of mechanical techniques and cadaver dissection improved diagnostic accuracy.
19th Century: Machines began to assist in diagnoses, with significant inventions such as:
- Spirometer: Measured lung capacity.
- Sphygmomanometer: Measured blood pressure.

Stethoscope (1816): Invented by Rene Laennec; first diagnostic tool for listening to heart and lung sounds.
Microscope (1840): First practical microscope developed by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
Ophthalmoscope (1850): Invented by Hermann von Helmholtz for internal eye examination.
Laryngoscope (1855): Created by Manuel Garcia for throat examination.
X-ray (1859): Discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen, enabling non-intrusive viewing of the body's internal structures.

1903: First Electrocardiograph by William Einthoven measured heart's electrical changes.
1910: Kenny Method introduced by Elizabeth Kenny for polio treatment.
1939: First heart-lung bypass machine designed by John Gibbon.
1941: Cardiac catheterization and angiography advancements came through material science developments.

1918: John Kolmer's publication led to Pennsylvania's law mandating equipped clinical laboratories staffed by trained technicians.
1922: American Society for Clinical Pathology founded to promote cooperation among medical professionals.
1950: Medical technologists sought formal recognition and licensure for their qualifications.

1578: San Lazaro Hospital established by Franciscans for the poor.
1901: Bureau of Government Laboratories was formed under Act No. 156.
1941: Aerial assault by Japan impacted Manila; subsequent medical developments followed.
1954: Manila Sanitarium opened the first Medical Technology school, marking a formal education milestone.

After WWII, the 26th Medical Infantry of the U.S. Army introduced clinical laboratories and trained high school graduates as medical technicians.
The Manila Public Health Laboratory emerged from military initiatives, ensuring medical technology's integration into the public health system.