Health 4.1 Modern Treatment of Disease

Question 1

What were magic bullets, what were some examples?

Answer 1

• Chemicals that would stain specific bacteria and kill it. First discovered by Ehrlich.
• He found one for syphilis.
• More were found for meningitis, pneumonia and scarlet fever.

Question 2

How was penicillin discovered by Fleming?

Answer 2

• Staphylococcus was incurable.
• Fleming left some of their germs out when he went on holiday in 1928.
• Mould had killed them all, penicillin mould from a floating spore.

Question 3

How did Fleming waste his discovery of penicillin? (HE 4.1)

Answer 3

• He published his findings, labelling it an antiseptic (it is an antibiotic).
• He didn’t test it on any animals to reveal its potential.
• Few regarded his work, he lost interest.

Question 4

How did Florey and Chain develop penicillin successfully? (HE 4.1)

Answer 4

• They turned their university into a production ground, using anything they could find.
• They tested it on 8 mice and saved one person’s life.
• 1941, the US govt met Florey and agreed to have companies mass produce it.
• The drug soon became available for public use.

Question 5

What was the impact of Penicillin? (HE 4.1)

Answer 5

• 15% of soldiers would have died without it.
• Injured soldiers fought again much earlier.
• Other antibiotics followed, i.e. streptomycin and mitomycin.
• Pharmaceutical industry is now worth £200-300bn.

Question 6

What were key developments in disease since WW2? (HE 4.1)

Answer 6

• 1953: Stem cells discovered, and Crick and Watson map out the structure of DNA.
• 1970s/80s: CAT scanners, endoscopes. MRI’s.
• 2013: Liver grown from stem cells.

Question 7

What were key developments in treatment since WW2? (HE 4.1)

Answer 7

• 1946-69: Vaccines for TB, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and rubella.
• 1957: Thalidomide developed to treat morning sickness. (Causes deformities).
• 1970: Britain makes cyclosporine, helps with transplant rejection.
• 1978: First IVF pregnancy.

Question 8

What were key developments in surgery since WW2? (HE 4.1)

Answer 8

• 1950: Hole in a baby’s heart fixed.
• 1952: Hearing aids made.
• 1958: First pacemaker.
• 1968: First heart transplant.
• 1972: First hip replacement.
• 1984: First skin graft.

Question 9

Why did medical developments occur so much in the 20th century? (HE 4.1)

Answer 9

• Changing attitudes toward science.
• New technologies and techniques.
• Doctors encouraged by, and fortunes spent on, war.
• The spread of new ideas across borders.

Question 10

What is Antibiotic resistance? (HE 4.1)

Answer 10

• Overuse of antibiotics causes increased resistance and decreased drug effectiveness.
• Such as MRSA, which was first found in 1961.

Question 11

What are alternative medicines and positive health? (HE 4.1)

Answer 11

• Since the 80s, alt medicines have become popular, such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy and aromatherapy.
• Positive health emphasises prevention instead of curing, such as good diet and cleanliness.