Barriers to Progress Flashcards
1
Q
What was the religious explanation for disease in 1848 Britain?
A
Divine punishment for sinful living
2
Q
What ancient theory did some people in 1848 Britain still believe caused disease?
A
- Theory of the four humours
- Disease resulted from an imbalance of blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile
3
Q
What was the miasma theory of disease?
A
- Caused major killers (like cholera)
- Poisonous, drifting clouds of air from rotting matter
4
Q
What was the theory of ‘spontaneous generation’?
A
- From Aristotle
- Living organisms (e.g. maggots) could originate from dead organisms
5
Q
Why did belief in these incorrect theories act as a barrier to studying disease causes?
A
- Mentalities persisted
- They thought that they already knew them
6
Q
How did flawed theories act as barrier to studying causes?
A
- Medical training and treatment were based on these theories
- Discouraged young doctors from questions assumptions
- Little progress in developing cures
7
Q
Why did most people not challenge long-established beliefs about disease?
A
- Few people questioned traditions
- Even fewer had ability or resources to make breakthroughs
8
Q
Why did funding hinder medical research and development in 1848?
A
- Government did not provide funding
- Hospitals funded by charities
- Prioritised treatment over research
9
Q
How did the lack of technological advancement limit disease research?
A
- Microscopes only used after 1848
- Even then did not make immediate significant impact (‘slow burner’)
10
Q
What limited doctors’ understanding of the human body in 1848?
A
- Ignorance of anatomy
- Relatively small number of dissections
- Religious reasons (afterlife) or miasma theory
