Medicine: Modern

Question 1

Describe the timeline of penicillin

Answer 1

1928- AF discovers mould that kills staphylococcus & writes paper
1930s- research team at Oxford read paper and HF, EC and team work to purify mould—receive £25 Govt funds
1939- need for penicillin suddenly apparent
1940- first trial occurs on policeman AA, drug worked but not enough
1941- Florey goes to US to secure funding for mass production

Question 2

Name the 4 factors in the development of penicillin

Answer 2

War
Chance
Government
Role of the Individual

Question 3

Describe the factor of war in the development of penicillin

Answer 3

W/o WWI AF wouldn’t have investigated staphylococcus
W/o WW2 HF & EC wouldn’t have had motivation to develop penicillin so quickly and on such a large scale
W/o WW2 USA probably wouldn’t have invested in penicillin as it wouldn’t have been so crucial

Question 4

Describe the factor of chance in the development of penicillin

Answer 4

AF discovered the mould completely by accident and nothing else could have happened without it
By chance HF and EC read AF’s paper

Question 5

Describe the factor of government in the development of penicillin

Answer 5

UK gov gave crucial £25 to further research of HF & EC allowing them to manufacture a trial and get proof
US Gov have rest of money

Question 6

Describe the factor of the role of the individual in the development of penicillin

Answer 6

Had AF not written his paper the team at Oxford would never have furthered research
Had HF & EC not invested time into research and trips to US mass production would have been impossible

Question 7

Summarise Charles Booth

Answer 7

Investigated and documented poverty in London (35%) in 1880s & 90s
Published very influential reports which changed attitudes to the poor

Question 8

Summarise Seebohm Rowntree

Answer 8

Quaker- inspired by Booth to investigate poverty in York
Successful businessman with influence over Lloyd George and the Beveridge Report 1942
Established when a person was most likely to fall below the poverty line

Question 9

Summarise Maud Pember Reeves

Answer 9

Made a detailed study of how those in regular employment survived on £1 wage a week (round about a pound a week)
Found women going hungry so man and kids could eat

Question 10

Describe the impact of war on surgery and medical treatments

Answer 10

Facial injuries : need for skin grafts
Blood loss : need for blood transfusions, blood types, blood storage
Soldiers in Africa : anti malarials
Shot down pilots : burns treatments
WWI = key test for Marie Curie’s portable x-ray
Broken legs: Thomas splint survival rate 20% =>80%

Question 11

Describe the impact of technology on surgery

Answer 11

Radiotherapy
1952-Kidney transplant
1961-Pacemaker
1967-First heart transplant 
Hip replacements and laser eye surgery normal
Test tube baby, dolly, IVF
Keyhole surgery, CAT & MRI scans 
Robot surgeons

Question 12

The Spanish Flu

Answer 12

1918—Pandemic
Spread by troop movement around the world after WWI
50 mi dead worldwide, 280 000 in UK
20% works infected & 20% infected died
Headaches, sore throat, loss of appetite

Question 13

Suggested precautions for the Spanish flu:

Answer 13

Gauze mask over nose and mouth
Keep away from infected
Gargle with salt and drink OXO

Question 14

What was thalidomide and what was it’s impact?

Answer 14

Mild sleeping pill “safe” for pregnant women
Actually caused malformed babies
Therefore tougher testing procedures and drug approval mechanisms were introduced