1. Egypt, India, China, Greece, Rome, Jewish
History of Medicine

2. History of Medicine How did Egyptians deal with health care?
Identified certain diseases
Earliest health records
Priests were doctors (Ex: Imhotep)
Embalming
Done by special priests
Gauze similar to today’s medical gauze
They had advanced knowledge of anatomy

3. History of Medicine How did Egyptians deal with health care?
Some practices still used today:
Enemas
Circumcision preceded marriage
Closing wounds
Setting fractures
..and some not…
Bloodletting
Monthly purging

4. History of Medicine How did Egyptians deal with health care?
Eye of Horus
Amulet to guard against disease
Story- Horus lost vision in battle- his mother, Iris called on the gods for help
Led to modern day “Rx” prescription sign

5. History of Medicine How did India use medicine?
Detected diabetes by smelling and tasting urine
Practiced surgical procedures
Hernia repairs
C-sections or Caesarean sections
Cosmetic surgery for harelips, earlobes, and nose

6. History of Medicine How did China deal with medicine?
Male doctors not allowed to touch women (used ivory dolls to show where problem was)
Use of Acupuncture
Used herbs like ginseng root

7. History of Medicine What about Jewish Medicine?
Concentrated on health rules concerning food, cleanliness and quarantine
Day of rest was the best contribution to human welfare

8. History of Medicine What was Greece’s contribution?
First to study cause of disease
Diseases caused by lack of sanitation (later they built aqueducts and sewer systems)
Aesculapius (god of medicine): Staff and serpent symbol of medicine (temples built in his honor became first hospitals)

9. History of Medicine Question: Who was the Greek doctor Hippocrates?
He was considered “the Father of Medicine”-
Wrote Hippocratic Oath-recited by medical students today
Dissection not allowed, so observation only- believed only in the facts
Showed disease had only natural causes- took treatment out of hands of religion

10. History of Medicine Who was the Greek doctor Hippocrates?
Treated patients with proper diet, fresh air, and change in climate
Objected to the use of strong drugs- favorite medicine was honey
Used tar for wounds

11. History of Medicine What about Rome?
Galen was important because he observed that the brain controls the rest of the body
Roman wars gave doctors plenty of surgical practice
First to organize medical care

12. Medical Terminology
Word Parts: circum- around -cise cut Abbreviations: Rx prescription C-section Caesarean section