1. The History of Health Care
Early Medicine - Notes

2. Experiences of Our Past… Advances Our Future
Why study the past practices?
More appreciative of the advances that have been made
Help understand current procedures, practices, and philosophies
Trial and error

3. Early Beginnings What was life like? No electricity Few tools
Poor shelter
Avoid predators, find food
Illness and injury was caused by supernatural spirits
Tribal doctors performed ceremonies to exorcise evil spirits

4. Medical Techniques Trephining
Part of cranium is removed with primitive tool
Demons released
Herbs and Plants
Digitalis – today = heart condition
Quinine – today = prevents malaria
Belladonna – today = relieve muscle spasm (GI pain)
Morphine – today = pain medication

6. Ancient Times Egyptians Kept records Priests were physicians
Used medicines
Splinted fractures
Used bloodletting (leeches) to treat disease
Chinese
Use acupuncture

7. Ancient Times (Continued…)
Greeks
Physicians were on a sacred mission
Housed in sacred temples of healing
Studied cause of disease (natural not spiritual)
Kept records
Performed research
Massage and herbs

8. Ancient Times (Continued)
Religion forbid bodies to be dissected
Hippocrates (4th century BC) based knowledge on observation
Kept records of symptoms and caused of disease
Romans
Medical care and equipment for treating soldiers
First hospitals
Sanitation system

10. Dark and Middle Ages (400-1400 A.D.)
Huns conquered Romans
Medical studies stopped (1000 years)
Church believed life and death was in God’s hands
Prayer treatment
Epidemics led to millions of deaths
Bubonic Plague
Small Pox
Syphilis
Tuberculosis

12. Renaissance (1305 – 1650) Rebirth of learning
Universities & medical schools
Acceptance of dissection
Publishing information
More research