Modern Medicine

Question 1

Which years does the ‘Modern’ period cover?

Answer 1

c.1900 - Present

Question 2

What new ideas about the causes of disease developed in the modern period?

Answer 2

Lifestyle factors & genetics

Question 3

When was the strucure of DNA discovered?

Answer 3

1953

Question 4

Who discovered the structure of DNA?

Answer 4

Crick & Watson

Question 5

When was the Human Genome Project launched?

Answer 5

1990

Question 6

What was the aim of the Human Genome Project?

Answer 6

To map every gene in human DNA

Question 7

How has discovering the structure of DNA & completing the Human Genome Project advanced medicine?

Answer 7

• Better understanding of genetic conditions eg Down’s Syndrome
• Predicting whether certain individuals have a higher risk of contracting some cancers
• Discovery that stem cells can be grown into different cells

Question 8

What remains to be discovered, with regard to genetic conditions?

Answer 8

A way to cure or prevent most genetic conditions

Question 9

What examples of lifestyle factors as causes of disease can you think of?

Answer 9

Smoking, excessive drinking, diet. There are others too!

Question 10

Why has diagnosis of disease improved in the modern period?

Answer 10

Technological advances such as blood tests, MRIs, X-Rays etc.

Question 11

What examples of technological advances in modern medicine can you think of?

Answer 11

Electron microscopes, x-rays, MRI scanners, pacemakers, dialysis machines, insulin pumps. You might have others too!

Question 12

What is meant by the term ‘magic bullet’?

Answer 12

A chemical cure that targets and kills one type of bacteria

Question 13

What was the first Magic Bullet, and whe was it produced?

Answer 13

Salvarsan 606. 1909

Question 14

What was the problem with Salvarsan 606?

Answer 14

It killed the patient!

Question 15

What was the second Magic Bullet & when was it developed?

Answer 15

Prontosil. 1932

Question 16

What type of drug are both Salvarsan 606 and Prontosil?

Answer 16

Sulphonamides

Question 17

Who discovered the first antibiotic, and when?

Answer 17

Alexander Fleming. 1928

Question 18

What was the first antibiotic?

Answer 18

Penicillin

Question 19

How has surgery advanced in the Modern Period?

Answer 19

Use of robots & computers to make surgery more precise. Keyhole surgery reduces the need to make large cuts in the patient’s body.

Question 20

When was the NHS launched?

Answer 20

July 1948

Question 21

How many people saw a doctor for the first time after the launch of the NHS?

Answer 21

8 million

Question 22

When was the national diphtheria vaccination programme?

Answer 22

1942

Question 23

When was the measles vaccination developed?

Answer 23

1962

Question 24

When was smoking in public places banned?

Answer 24

2007

Question 25

Give an example of a government health campaign?

Answer 25

Change4Life (or another!)

Question 26

Which two scientists contributed to the wide production of penicillin?

Answer 26

Florey and Chain

Question 27

Which government helped fund the production of penicillin in 1941

Answer 27

American Government

Question 28

When did penicillin begin to be mass produced by UK drug companies?

Answer 28

1943

Question 29

When did the government ban tobacco advertising on TV?

Answer 29

1965

Question 30

What is the second common cancer?

Answer 30

Lung cancer