Medicine Unit 3 Flashcards
What was the germ theory?
The idea that disease is spread by microorganisms that exist and cause matter to decay
Who published and discovered the germ theory?
Louis Pasteur
When was the Germ theory published?
1861
What are reasons why Pasteur had a significant impact on the development of medicine?
He published the germ theory - allowed for many discoveries and still believed today
He developed vaccinations for cholera, anthrax and rabies with help from the French (they gave him money) STILL USED TODAY
Inspired many other scientists e.g. Robert Koch and Paul Ehrlich
‘Father of microbiology’
What are reasons why Pasteur didn’t have a significant impact on the development of medicine?
His ideas were ridiculed by some scientists
His ideas weren’t immediately accepted in Britain
Koch had a greater impact on the development of treatments and preventions of bacteria
Lister publicised germ theory - he was able to make it more accepted in Britain
Who was Robert Koch?
A German doctor who built on Pasteurs germ theory
What are reasons why Koch had a significant impact on the development of medicine?
He carried out experiment
By the end of the 19th century, he found causes of many disease e.g. cholera, TB, smallpox and plague
Who was Paul Ehrilch?
A German doctor that worked with Robert Koch
What are reasons why Ehrlich had a significant impact on the development of medicine?
He discovered ‘magic bullets’
What were ‘magic bullets’?
Chemical cures for bacterium
Who was Louis Pasteur?
A French doctor who carried out a series of experiments to discover the germ theory
How did Pasteur discover that microorganisms could be killed by heat?
Pasteurisation - he heated foodstuffs which stop them from going off
What is an anaesthetic?
Any substance that makes the body insensitive to pain
What were some anaesthetics used in 1800s-1900s?
Opium
Mandrake root
Nitrous oxide
Alcohol
Chloroform
When was nitrous oxide discovered? By who?
1775 by Thomas Beddoes and Humphry Davy
How was nitrous oxide discovered to be an anaesthetic?
Humphry Davy inhaled the gas which made him laugh, feel giddy and also relaxed
What was the positives of the discovery of nitrous oxide as an anaesthetic?
Reduced surgery anxiety
It worked at its time
It was the first anaesthetic discovered in a long time
What was the negatives of the discovery of nitrous oxide as an anaesthetic?
It failed to convince doctors
People so it as a fun thing not a medical anaesthetic - dangerous
It’s classes as a drug now as it was addictive
When and where was ether discovered to be an anaesthetic? By who?
1842 by William Clark in America
When did Clark give a public demonstration of ether? What was the impact of this?
1846 - did a public demonstration in Boston which helped his ideas spread to Europe
Who tried ether first? When? What did he call ether?
Robert Liston tried ether in a leg amputation - called it ‘Yankee Dodge’
What was the positives of the discovery of ether as an anaesthetic?
It was affective
Allowed for the patient to be induced to sleep
The patient felt no pain at all
What was the negatives of the discovery of ether as an anaesthetic?
It caused vomiting
It was highly flammable - surgeries were done at home by open fires which was dangerous
When was chloroform discovered to be an anaesthetic? By who?
1847 by James Simpson
How was chloroform discovered to be an anaesthetic?
By accident - one of Simpsons friends knocked over a bottle of chloroform when they were testing substances and all of them were then found asleep
What was the positives of the discovery of chloroform as an anaesthetic?
1850 - Queen Victoria had a difficult labour and used chloroform
1853 - John Snow used chloroform on Queen Victoria whilst giving birth to price leopold
Had royal support
What was the negatives of the discovery of chloroform as an anaesthetic?
Some patients died when using it when it was first introduced e.g. Hannah Greener 1848
Men and women of different sizes needed different amounts
There were objections by other doctors and also religious objects as it removed the pain of giving birth
What are reasons why Simpson had a significant impact on the development of anaesthetics?
He discovered chloroform in 1847
He had royal support
Chloroform was used as an anaesthetic for many years
What are reasons why Simpson didn’t have a significant impact on the development of anaesthetics?
Chloroform was discovered to have many side effects e.g. liver disease
There were objection by many people
Some died as they were given too much
What are reasons why Liston had a significant impact on the development of anaesthetics?
He was the first to use ether successfully and allow it to spread to England
What are reasons why Liston didn’t have a significant impact on the development of anaesthetics?
He didn’t discover ether, he only used it on his patients
It was highly flammable
What were the main reasons why there was opposition to anaesthetic in 1800s-1900s?
Religious reasons - god wanted pain to be felt
Practical reasons - easy to overdose and flammable
Some anaesthetics were discovered before germ theory - people didn’t have much of an understanding
When were antiseptics discovered? By who?
1865 by Joseph Lister
What do antiseptics do?
Prevent the spread of germs and bacteria and prevent infections
What was the first antiseptic discovered?
Carbolic acid
Describe the process of how antiseptics were discovered
- 1860 - Lister realised operation would go well if the wound was free from infections
- He considered the germ theory and then discovered that carbolic acid could kill bacteria
- 1865 - he experimented on a young boy called Jamie and the antiseptic worked
What is aseptic surgery?
The prevention of germs from the start of the surgery e.g. sterilising medical equipment etc.
What are reasons why Lister was significant in the development of medicine?
Treated his first patient - Jamie - successfully in 1865 & treated 11 patients successfully in 1867
He lectured doctors about the importance of carbolic acid and publicised the germ theory
His ideas lead to the development of aseptic surgery STILL USED TODAY
What are reasons why Lister wasn’t significant in the development of medicine?
Many doctors thought he was unsure of his ideas as he kept changing his methods to improve his work
Using carbolic acid slowed down the operation - lead to issues with blood loss
Some doctors had good results without using carbolic acid - said his ideas were wrong and criticised him
When did Pasteur discover pasteurisation?
1854
What were the main issues in industrial cities in the 1800s-1900s?
Very overcrowded due to rapid migration & Cesspits still used to collect waste
Industrial diseases thrived e.g. match girls developed ‘phossy-jaw’ + chimney sweeps came into contact with soot
Bakers added chalk to flour to make more money and to make it more white
How many % of children died before the age of 5 in industrial towns?
57% of children died before the age of 5
What was the average age of death for a labourer in Liverpool in 1800s-1900s?
15 years old
What were some contagious diseases in the industrial period?
Typhoid
Typhus
Cholera
Measles
When was the ‘great stink’? What was it?
The ‘great stink’ was in 1858 - the weather was dry so human liquid waste hadn’t washed away
What happened as a result of the ‘great stink’? Why?
Parliament left London because it was deemed very threatening as miasma was still heavily believed an it caused a very bad smell
Similarities between public health condition in industrial period and in the medieval period? Why?
Believed in miasma - still a lack of scientific understanding and didn’t fully believe germ theory yet
Still used privies and cesspits to get rid of waste
Some diseases were still uncontrolled
Differences between public health condition in industrial period and in the medieval period?
Easier to catch more diseases in industrial period - more overcrowded due to rapid migration
In industrial, the germ theory was developed - they realised something was wrong
What were the 3 attempts the government made to improve public health in the industrial period?
- 1848 public health act
- 1875 public health act
- Compulsory vaccinations
What were the successes of the 1848 public health act?
Led to the building of a sewer system
Led to the establishment of local Boards of Health & to the appointing of local medical officers
It was the first piece of legislation that protected public health
What were the failures of the 1848 public health act?
Town councils weren’t forced to make these improvements - only if death rate passed 23 per thousand
Only 1/3 of towns set up Boards of Health
The terms of act were only temporary - General Board of Health was abolished in 1858
What were the successes of the 1875 public health act?
Made local councils responsible for ensuring that there was clean water, rubbish removal and sewers/drains
Towns had to appoint health inspectors and a medical officer of health
Ensured the quality of new housing was improved
What were the failures of the 1875 public health act?
Many towns only had basic services such as water
Lighting and paving were still in the hands of private companies and individuals
What were the successes of compulsory vaccinations?
Vaccinations compulsory in 1853
Number of of deaths from smallpox dropped dramatically
What were the failures of compulsory vaccinations?
Many people distrusted it and objected against it - stopped being compulsory in 1898
Was not strictly enforced until 1871
What happened between 1848 and 1875 that meant that the public health acts changed so much?
1861 - germ theory discovered
1854 - cholera outbreak
What did the 3 attempts the government made to improve public health in the industrial period show?
That it was actually the governments responsibly to ensure that public health was good
Who were the 3 key individual involved in public health in the 1800s?
Florence Nightingale
Edwin Chadwick
John Snow
What were the symptoms of cholera?
Uncontrollable diarrhoea
Skin went blue
Muscle spasms and weaknesses
What treatments were offered to cholera patients? Why?
They were given opiates
Their skin was burnt
Quarantine
BECAUSE OF THE BELIEF IN MIASMA
How did local governments respond to cholera?
They introduced a quarantine
Open cesspits and garbage piles were cleaned up
Why was some action taken by local governments unsuccessful in preventing the spread of cholera?
There was still overcrowding
The germ theory hadn’t been created or discovered yet
There was no running water in homes and much clean water in general
When was the first cholera epidemic?
1832
How many died because of the first cholera epidemic?
Over 55,000 people died
When was the second cholera epidemic?
1848
How many people died because of the second cholera epidemic?
Over 52,000 people
Why did the number of cholera epidemics decrease later on in the 1800s?
Germ theory introduced - understood the need for clean water
People realised miasma wasn’t the cause of cholera - John Snows discovered it was caused by water
Why was Nightingale significant in the development of medicine?
Reduced death rates in the Crimean field hospitals - inspired others to do the same in other setting
Improved sanitation and ventilation in British hospitals - has had a long term impact on hospitals today
Founded a training school for nurses at the St Thomas Hospital in London
Why was Snow significant in the development of medicine?
Used observations and experiments to show that cholera was waterborne - this was a new methodology still used today
Proved cholera was caused by dirty water NOT miasma
Why was Chadwick significant in the development of medicine?
Wrote a report on public health in 1842 - wanted to improve public health conditions for the poor
Introduced boards of health - responsible for improving public health
Supported the government to pass the Public Health Act of 1848
Why was Nightingale insignificant in the development of medicine?
Ideas weren’t supported due to the miasma theory being dominant - the germ theory was still unknown
Failed to inspire governments to take action against public health - they still had a Laissez faire attitude
Why was Snow insignificant in the development of medicine?
Ideas weren’t supported due to the miasma theory being dominant - the germ theory was still unknown
Failed to inspire governments to take action against public health - they still had a Laissez faire attitude
Ideas weren’t accepted UNTIL after his death when Robert Koch proved cholera was caused by a specific bacteria - vibrio cholerea
Why was Chadwick insignificant in the development of medicine?
Ideas weren’t supported due to the miasma theory being dominant - the germ theory was still unknown
Failed to inspire governments to take action against public health - they still had a Laissez faire attitude
