Modern Medicine Flashcards
Who discovered the first magic bullet + when? + what did it do? - Modern Medicine
Paul Ehrlich discovered Salvarsan 606 in 1909
Only killed bacteria without poisoning the rest of the body
Who ORIGINALLY discovered penicillin? - Modern Medicine
Joseph Lister, who tested it by using it to treat a nurse’s wound. However he never used it again
What illness was Alexander Fleming trying to treat with Penicillin? - Modern Medicine
Staphylococcus, a highly resistant germ
How did Fleming discover penicillin? - Modern Medicine
He left several plates of Staphylococcus germs on a bench before going on holiday. On returning, a large area of mould was in a dish. He noticed the germs around this had been killed. This was found to be penicillin.
Why was penicillin’s early impact (Fleming) limited? - Modern Medicine
Fleming didn’t realise its potential as the first antibiotic. He also never tested this on a living organism, which would prove it could cure organisms without harming cells. Fleming lost interest in its development
How much funding did Florey + Chain receive from the British govt. in 1939 to begin researching penicillin? - Modern Medicine
£25, as WW2 had just begun and funds were focussed on the war effort
Who did Florey + Chain attempt to treat and with what outcome? - Modern Medicine
Albert Alexander, a policeman with an infection from an accident with a rosebush. The penicillin began to treat the infection, but their supply ran out and Alexander died. This did prove its effectiveness, however
What action did Florey take that allowed the mass production of penicillin? - Modern Medicine
In June 1941, Florey met with the US govt. who saw its life saving potential. They granted interest free loans to pharmaceutical companies to produce penicillin
How was penicillin significant on D-Day? - Modern Medicine
2.3 million doses used on Allied Soldiers, saving countless lives
When was D-Day? - Modern Medicine
6th June 1944
What impacts did penicillin have during WW2? (What % saved due to penicillin?) - Modern Medicine
An estimated 15% of Allied soldiers would have died without penicillin
What impacts did penicillin have after WW2? - Modern Medicine
Led to the birth of the pharmaceutical industry as a result of govt. sponsored programmes
What limitations does penicillin have? - Modern Medicine
MRSA (a resistant form of the staphylococcus germ) has been created as a result of the over-use of antibiotics, such as during WW2
When was the DNA structure discovered? who by? what impacts did this have on understanding? - Modern Medicine
Discovered in 1953 by Crick and Watson
Helped scientists understand that not all illnesses are caused by bacteria, and that some are genetic.
Led to gene therapy, genetic screening
During which decades were CAT Scanners, Endoscopes and MRI scanners invented? - Modern Medicine
1970s + 1980s
When was smallpox eradicated? - Modern Medicine
1980 - the first infectious disease for this to happen as a result of vaccination and herd immunity
Why do some people turn to alternative medicine for treatments? - Modern Medicine
Doctors unable to cure some diseases (cancer, AIDS, common cold)
Some are unsure of GPs after Harold Shipman was convicted of murdering 15 patients
Wellbeing is encouraged, advocated by Prince Charles
What problems are there with alternative medicine? - Modern Medicine
Lacks regulations for practitioners, practiced by almost anyone
Lots of alternative medicine is not scientifically proven as beneficial
How is disease from poor lifestyle prevented rather than cured? - Modern Medicine
Heart disease is combatted through encouragement of regular exercise - seen through the govt.’s ‘Change 4 Life’ campaign
Dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco are publicised in adverts
How does screening prevent the impacts of illness? - Modern Medicine
Newborn babies are screened for illnesses
All women over the age of 25 are offered regular cervical cancer screenings
All people over 60 are offered bowel cancer screenings
How were blood transfusions aided in the modern period? - Modern Medicine
In 1901, Karl Landsteiner discovered blood groups existed, which meant donors had to have the same blood type as the recipient
How did WW1 aid plastic surgery? - Modern Medicine
Harold Gillies set up a skin graft unit in London for severe facial wounds. Considered aesthetic appearance
How was the advances in blood transfusions limited? - Modern Medicine
Early in the war, scientists didn’t know how to preserve blood and to transport to where it was required for transfusions
Later in the war, scientists discovered how to store crucial blood cells
How was the treatment of infection aided + limited by WW1? - Modern Medicine
Saline solution used as a basic treatment for infected wounds
Wasn’t ideal as it was sometimes ineffective
How did WW2 aid drug development? - Modern Medicine
Britain and USA discovered that penicillin could be used to treat infection. A joint effort was made to provide masses of penicillin for allied troops
How did WW2 aid the prevention of poverty? - Modern Medicine
Over 1 million children were evacuated to the countryside for safety, where they encountered cleaner air, healthier food and better nourishment. This made the government more committed to solving poverty after the war
How did war limit medical progress? (3) - Modern Medicine
Thousands of doctors were taken away from work to treat casualties
Medical research was stopped during wartime to focus on conflict
In WW1+2, warfare destroyed hospitals and libraries with medical knowledge in
When were anaesthetics developed that could be injected? Who by? What advantage did this have? - Modern Medicine
In the 1930s, Helmuth Wesse developed anaesthetics that could be injected, allowing more precise dosage control. Allowed more complex operations
When did the first kidney transplant take place and where? - Modern Medicine
The first kidney transplant took place in 1952 in South Africa
What did Charles Booth do to influence public health? - Modern Medicine
Produced a report ‘Life and Labour of the People in London,’ which researched poverty in the East End of London
What did Charles Booth discover? - Modern Medicine
Discovered around 1/3 of people lived in poverty
Demonstrated a link between poverty and high death rate
Recommended introduction of an old-age pension
When did Charles Booth publish ‘Life and Labour of the People in London’? - Modern Medicine
Published in 1886
What did Seebohm Rowntree do to aid public health? - Modern Medicine
Published: ‘Poverty: A Study of Town Life’, which investigated poverty and living conditions in York
What did Seebohm Rowntree discover/do? - Modern Medicine
Discovered that 28% of the population didn’t have enough money to survive at some stage of their life
Discovered that poverty had a serious impact on health
Increased wages of his staff and improved working conditions
What impacts did Rowntree’s report have on ideas about industry? - Modern Medicine
Creates fear that poverty would negatively impact Britain’s industry. Germany, for example, had good welfare for workers and was beginning to match industrial production in iron, coal and steel
How did the Boer War impact public health? - Modern Medicine
It was discovered that around 40-60% were not suitable for military service (mainly from working class backgrounds) In some towns 90% were unfit
Why did the Liberal Party want to introduce new healthcare measures? - Modern Medicine
They were worried about the rise of the Labour Party and saw this as an opportunity to gain votes
Believed that direct government action would improve welfare for the working classes
What effects did the 1906 Education (School Meals) Act have? How many had access by 1914? How was this limited? - Modern Medicine
Meant that free school meals were provided to working class children by local councils
By 1914, over 158,000 children benefitted from this
HOWEVER ONLY HALF OF AUTHORITIES USED THIS BY 1939
What effects did the 1906 Workers’ Compensation Act have? - Modern Medicine
Meant that all workers were now insured if injured during work
What effects did the 1908 Old Age Pensions act have? - Modern Medicine
Meant that old-age pensions were offered to people over 70 who didn’t have enough money to live on
What effects did the 1911 National Insurance Act have? - Modern Medicine
Ensured that workers, employers and the government payed into a sick pay fund, meaning people could afford costs when ill
What limitations did the 1911 National Insurance Act have? - Modern Medicine
Didn’t protect families or women
Struggled to protect people when the depression hit and unemployment reached 3 million (outside the scheme)
How did WW1 impact public health? - Modern Medicine
Men graded on fitness and a quarter were found to be unfit
The Ministry of Health was set up, taking responsibility of training doctors and funding hospitals
THE 1919 HOUSING ACT in which Lloyd-George promised ‘homes fit for heroes,’ and the government pledged 250,000 new homes
How did the Economic Depression impact public Health? - Modern Medicine
Infant mortality rate rose, with Wigan having 110 in every 1000 die
Unemployed people couldn’t afford to pay into the national insurance scheme, and the employed also struggled to do so
How did WW2 impact public health? - Modern Medicine
Meant people felt together through the struggles as people needed to work hard in order to survive bombings and food shortages Raised awareness about poverty, as middle class families who held evacuees were appalled by the condition of these children
Who was Sir William Beveridge and what did he achieve? - Modern Medicine
Beveridge was a senior civil servant and produced ‘The Beveridge Report,’ which reviewed the causes of poverty
When was the Beveridge report produced? + how many copies did it sell? - Modern Medicine
1942
Selling 600,000 copies
What did the Beveridge Report recommend? - Modern Medicine
A national health service that would be paid for by taxes, with doctors and nurses employed by the government
Everyone in work should pay national insurance to cover benefits
What were features of the welfare state? - Modern Medicine
The NHS was formed in 1948, providing free healthcare for all
Weekly family allowances introduced to help childcare costs
The very poor received benefits
School leaving age was raised to 15 to improve chances of good educations
What were the 3 tiers of NHS service? - Modern Medicine
Hospital services - A+E, treatment for serious illnesses
Primary care - GPs, Dentists, Opticians (ALL INDEPENDENT)
Community - vaccination services, midwifes, ambulances, health education
Why impacts did the NHS have? - Modern Medicine
2 -ve 1 +ve
Independent Doctors worried they would lose business
Local charities objected to central control of healthcare
8 MILLION PEOPLE NOW HAD FREE HEALTHCARE
What impacts did Nye Bevan have on the NHS? - Modern Medicine
The Minister of Health agreed that doctors could continue to privately treat patients and charge them
When was the NHS first opened? - Modern Medicine
5th July 1948
By how much has life expectancy increased thanks to the NHS? - Modern Medicine
Around 20 years
What problems face the NHS in the modern day? - Modern Medicine
Growing waiting lists
Lack of funding
Over-worked doctors and nurses
Lack of cleanliness in some wards
What trends are there in 21st Century Public Health? - Modern Medicine
Targeting smoking (2005 advertising ban)
Public awareness campaigns (checking for cancer, identifying strokes)
Promoting healthy lifestyles (5 a day, Change 4 Life campaign)
