EVOLUTION OF HEALTH CARE

How do you feel when you are having a fever and not able to do things of your interest? None of us will be happy about that and never want to be on sick beds right? We all wish for good health but sometimes even after giving our best, we do fall sick because of the environment, climate, or any virus invasion. But nothing to worry much about, as now, in this present scenario we have treatments and solutions for everything. Do you know where the root begin? So here, we will look forward to the history of health care and the evolution of medical science. Let's begin with the word "Health".

HEALTH

The word health is originated from the word 'Hale' (old English) which means "wholeness, being whole, sound or well."

The standard definition of Health by the World Health Organization in the year 1948 :
"Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of any disease or infirmity."

HEALTH CARE THROUGH THE TIMES

Primitive Times (4000 BC - 3000 BC) :

People at those times believed that illnesses and diseases were caused by evil spirits and demons. Because of this reason, they used to call tribal witch doctors to treat them with ceremonies to drive out evil spirits so that they can get rid of their illnesses

Even though their perception of illnesses was different and had firm beliefs, they still used herbs and plants to cure diseases along with some medicines like Morphine as an analgesic (pain reliever) which is still in use.

Not only the medicines, there found pieces of evidence of Trepanation, the first surgical procedure. It was the practice of drilling or cutting a hole through the skull to expose the brain. This was thought to cure mental illness, migraines, and epileptic seizures.

Ancient Romans (753 BC - AD 410) :

They were the first to organize health care by providing treatment to soldiers. They had a system of Public Health and Sanitation (aqueducts/sewers), and drained wetlands to reduce the spread of Malaria. Their life expectancy was about 35 years.

Ancient Egyptians (3000 BC - 300 BC) :

The Ancient Egyptians believed that body consists of a system of channels or ducts ("Metu"). They followed the practice of Bloodletting, which is withdrawing blood from a person's veins for therapeutic reasons and is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt only.

As we all know about their practice of preserving dead bodies as Mummies. It was not just a burial but using special processes, they removed all moisture from the dead body, leaving only a dried form that would not easily decay. This meant that they were having a good understanding of the human body and also learned something about how the body works.

Ancient Chinese (1700 BC - AD 220) :

China has one of the world's best and oldest medical systems. The TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) philosophy proposes that everything including the organs of the body is composed of five elements: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.

They used this method called Acupuncture as a medical technique for relieving pain, curing disease, and improving general health. TCM also includes herbal medicines, remedies, massage, exercises, and diet therapies.

Ancient Greeks (1200 BC - 200 BC) :

The ancient Greeks, the ones who embraced the concept of “a healthy mind in a healthy body,” and their view of medicine incorporated both physical and mental wellbeing.

The most famous and probably the most important medical figure in ancient Greece was Hippocrates, who we know today as “the father of medicine.” He developed an organized method to observe the human body and also recorded signs and symptoms.

Aristotle, another great mind that ever existed, is indeed the godfather of evidence-based medicine. His teachings of logic and philosophy have been a driving force continuously guiding medicine away from superstitions and more towards scientific methods. He is known as "the father of biology" because he was fascinated with wildlife which led to the birth of a new science known as Biology.

Ancient Romans (753 BC-AD 410) :

They made progress in many areas with advanced knowledge and practices such as the provision of public health facilities, sanitation systems, development of medicines, and a lot more.

Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus, a physician who was first to describe correctly the function of kidneys and believed that human health requires an equilibrium between the four main bodily fluids (humor): blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.

Dark Ages (AD 400 - AD 800) :

Diseases and sicknesses were very common during this period due to lack of hygiene. No importance was given to the study of medicines and they mainly focused on curing the disease rather than their causes. Often it was believed that the cause of the disease was supernatural.

Middle Ages (AD 800 - AD 1400) :

During this period, several steps were taken for public health which includes, attempts to cope with the unsanitary conditions of the cities and, utilizing quarantine, to limit the spread of diseases, also the establishment of hospital and provision of medical care and social assistance. Around 3/4th population of Europe and Asia were killed.

Renaissance (AD 1350 - AD 1650) :

Artists, such as Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, studied the human body closely to replicate it in the art which helped to further increase their medical, especially anatomical knowledge.

The printing press allowed for information to be distributed to a wide audience which helped to spread new scientific discoveries and to share knowledge and awareness with the people.

During this time only, the first set of Anatomy books "De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem" were published by Andreas Vesalius.

16th and 17th Centuries :

Even at these times, the causes of diseases were still not known.

Ambroise Pare, who is considered as one of the fathers of surgery and modern forensic pathology, introduced many surgical instruments and contributed both to the practice of surgical amputation and to the design of limb prostheses.

Another personality, William Harvey was an English physician who made influential contributions in anatomy and physiology being the first to recognize the full circulation of the blood in the human body.

18th Century :

Some important inventions made during this period include;

• Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, a physician, invented Mercury-in-glass Thermometer and Alcohol Thermometer
• The invention of Bifocals by Benjamin Franklin.
• Edward Jenner developed the vaccination for smallpox

19th Century :

The 19th century witnessed several significant developments by great personalities. Pointing down some of them briefly -

• French Barbers - Acted as surgeons by extracting teeth, using leeches for treatment, and giving enemas
• Dr. James Blundell - Performed the first human blood transfusion for the treatment of hemorrhage in 1818.
• Rene Laennec - Invented Stethoscope in the year 1819.
• Elizabeth Blackwell - First Female physician in the US (1849).
• Florence Nightingale - Founder of modern Nursing, also referred to as "The Lady with The Lamp".
• Joseph Lister - Began the use of disinfectants and antiseptics in surgery in 1865 to prevent infection.
• Louis Pasteur -  Best known for inventing the process that bears his name, Pasteurization. In 1885, while studying rabies, he developed the vaccination for Rabies.
• Dmitri Iosifovich Ivanovsky - A Russian botanist, he discovered viruses and is one of the founders of virology.
• Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen - A German mechanical engineer and physicist, who, on 8 November 1895, produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range known as X-rays or Rontgen rays. He won the inaugural Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 for this achievement.

20th Century :

A rapid growth in modern healthcare occurred during this period. Many unidentified diseases were found, studied, treated, and cured. Standard of care was established, technology integrated into healthcare, and is used in every aspect of medical care today.

Some important personalities and their contributions during this period are as follows-

• Karl Landsteiner - He distinguished the main blood groups in 1900, hence developing the modern system of classification of blood groups.
• Sigmund Freud -Formed the basis for Psychology and Psychiatry, and is a founder of psychoanalysis.
• Frederick Banting and Charles Best - Discovered and successfully isolated the hormone insulin for the first time in 1922.
• Sir Alexander Fleming - Discovered the antibiotic Penicillin in the year 1928.
• George Papanicolaou - Discovered "Pap Smear" to detect cervical cancer in females.
• Jonas Edward Salk - An American virologist and medical researcher who developed one of the first successful polio vaccines in 1952.
• Francis Crick and James Watson - discovered the structure of DNA, our genetic blueprint in the year 1953.
• Christian Barnard - Performed first Heart transplant in the year 1968.
• Sir Godfrey Housefield - Invented the first CT scanner at EMI Central Research Laboratories using x-ray technology in 1967.
• Louise Brown - In 1978, the first Test tube baby was conceived in a laboratory.
• Ben Carson - First to separate conjoined twins and had pioneered many new procedures.

The earliest known case of infection with HIV-1 in a human was detected in a blood sample collected in 1959 from a man in Kinshasa. In 1981, the first case of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was identified.

 

REACHING TO THE CONCLUSION :

So this was a quick and brief history of healthcare throughout the years. Apart from all these, there are still more contributions and achievements in health care and of course, many more to come.

In this present scenario, we all are very much concerned about our health because of the spread of a novel Coronavirus. This pandemic made us realize that above everything health is important. Don't panic, don't fear these illnesses, but be brave and protect yourself. Yes, it is easier said than done, but we all are fighting against it. 

Stay safe and healthy.

- Jeslin Mariam Jose