Renaissance medicine - the beginnings of change Flashcards
How did developments during the Renaissance help to advance medicine?
- During the Renaissance, ancient medical ideas were revisited and challenged, leading to important discoveries in medicine.
- In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, allowing new ideas to be quickly copied and shared across Europe, accelerating the spread of medical knowledge.
- Artists made significant progress in drawing the human body more accurately, which helped doctors better understand anatomy and communicate medical ideas more clearly in books.
What were the key contributions of Andreas Vesalius to medicine?
- Andreas Vesalius was born in 1514 in Brussels and worked at the University of Padua, Italy.
- He specialised in anatomy and made significant discoveries about the human body through dissection.
- Vesalius’ book “On the Fabric of the Human Body”, published in 1543, was a detailed and accurate guide to the human body, with precise drawings that helped doctors better understand anatomy.
- He proved that Galen had made mistakes, such as the human jaw bone being one bone, not two, and that blood does not pass through the septum of the heart.
Why was Andreas Vesalius significant in the development of medicine?
Short-term significance: Vesalius challenged Galen’s theories, encouraging other doctors to question his ideas and prompting further investigation into human anatomy.
Long-term significance: His accurate anatomical knowledge in “On the Fabric of the Human Body” laid the foundation for future medical advances, including the development of new surgical techniques and a better understanding of human anatomy.
What was the significance of Ambroise Paré’s discovery of the ointment for treating gunshot wounds?
- Ambroise Paré discovered a more effective treatment for gunshot wounds by using an ointment made from egg yolk, rose oil, and turpentine when he ran out of hot oil, which was traditionally used for cauterising wounds.
- The soldiers treated with the ointment showed better healing and less pain compared to those treated with hot oil, although Paré didn’t understand the germ theory at the time.
How did Ambroise Paré contribute to improving surgical procedures for amputees?
- Ambroise Paré used ligatures to tie off blood vessels and stop bleeding during amputations, rather than cauterising the wound with hot oil.
- Although ligatures reduced blood loss, they didn’t eliminate the risk of infection, as Paré wasn’t aware of germ theory.
- Paré also designed artificial limbs for amputees, further advancing prosthetics.
What factors helped Ambroise Paré make his medical discoveries?
- Experience in the field: As a surgeon to French kings and a barber surgeon in the French army, Paré had hands-on experience with treating wounded soldiers.
- Access to various remedies: Paré was familiar with different treatments and was open to trying alternatives, such as the ointment for gunshot wounds.
- Reading and knowledge: Paré read about old remedies, which helped him to innovate and discover more effective methods, like the ointment for wounds and ligatures for amputations.
What were Harvey’s key discoveries about the circulatory system?
- Harvey discovered that blood is pumped around the body by the heart and not burned up by the body as Galen had previously suggested.
- He identified the role of valves in blood vessels, which ensure blood flows in one direction.
- Harvey’s experiments with frogs helped demonstrate the circulation of blood, and his findings were published in his book An Anatomical Account of the Motion of the Heart and Blood (1628).
Why was William Harvey’s work on blood circulation significant?
- Harvey’s work challenged Galen’s ideas, leading doctors to question long-held medical beliefs and spurring further medical discoveries.
- Although blood transfusions were unsuccessful initially, Harvey’s work laid the foundation for the development of blood transfusions, which became possible after the discovery of blood groups by Karl Landsteiner in 1901.
What was the main cause of the Great Plague of 1665?
The main cause of the Great Plague was poor sanitation, leading to sewage and waste being discarded in the streets and river, which resulted in an increase in the population of black rats that carried the bubonic plague bacteria.
How did the government respond to the Great Plague of 1665?
- The government introduced a quarantine for all ships arriving in London.
- Infected households were locked inside, with a red cross painted on their door.
- Searchers were employed to visit plague houses and identify causes of death.
- Authorities also ordered the killing of stray cats and dogs, which may have worsened the outbreak by allowing rats to spread more freely.
What were some of the ineffective treatments used during the Great Plague?
- Treatments like bloodletting and purging were still used, based on the belief in the four humours.
- Plague doctors wore protective outfits with leather cloaks, masks containing herbs, gloves, and hats, to avoid contact with the disease, due to the belief in miasma (bad air).
How did the Great Plague of 1665 compare to the Black Death of 1348-1349?
- The Black Death killed more people than the Great Plague of 1665 due to less effective government action in 1348-1349.
- However, government actions in 1665, like quarantines and restrictions, helped limit the spread and death toll.
- The Great Fire of London also contributed to the end of the outbreak, as it led to improvements in city infrastructure, reducing future plague risks.
How did the Great Fire of London impact the end of the plague in 1665-1666?
The Great Fire of London helped end the outbreak by leading to rebuilding the city with no open sewers in the streets and more spread-out buildings, reducing the chance of further outbreaks.
What was the role of hospitals in the 17th and 18th centuries?
- Hospitals became more common after the closure of monasteries by Henry VIII in the 1530s.
- Many hospitals, like St Bartholomew’s Hospital, were former monasteries converted to serve the public.
- Treatment was still largely based on the four humours, with bloodletting and purging being common practices.
- Hospitals were funded by wealthy donors or royal endowments to provide care for those who couldn’t afford a physician.
What was the role of a physician during the 17th and 18th centuries?
- Physicians were well-trained doctors who typically graduated from university and were considered the most knowledgeable medical professionals.
- Their treatments and diagnoses were largely based on the works of Hippocrates and Galen, especially the four humours theory.
- Physicians were expensive, so they primarily treated wealthier individuals or royalty, with monarchs often having private physicians.
What was the role of apothecaries in the 17th and 18th centuries?
- Apothecaries were similar to modern-day chemists and sold remedies and medicines, often based on herbal treatments passed down through generations.
- They typically trained as apprentices, working with an experienced apothecary to learn various treatments and remedies.
- Apothecaries served both surgeons and the general public.
Who were quack doctors, and how did they affect medical care in the 17th and 18th centuries?
- Quack doctors were unqualified individuals who claimed to have miracle cures.
- They often sold potions with mysterious ingredients, like crushed unicorn horn, promising to heal ailments, although these remedies were usually ineffective and sometimes harmful.
- Due to the lack of scientific knowledge before the development of germ theory, there was no way to challenge these unproven treatments.
What were John Hunter’s contributions to the understanding of anatomy?
- Hunter collected over 14,000 specimens from more than 500 species, including human and animal skeletons, organs, and tissues.
- He encouraged other doctors to study human and animal anatomy to improve their understanding of the body.
- His anatomical work helped lay the foundation for scientific surgery and more accurate medical knowledge.
How did John Hunter challenge existing ideas about surgery and treatment?
- While working with the army, Hunter disproved the belief that gunshot wounds poisoned the surrounding area.
- He argued that amputation should only be used as a last resort, promoting alternative methods to save limbs.
- His work led to less aggressive and more scientific surgical techniques.
Why was John Hunter significant in the field of medicine?
- Held important roles such as surgeon to George III and surgeon general to the British Army.
- Played a key role in training future doctors, including Edward Jenner, who developed the smallpox vaccine.
- Advocated for the use of the scientific method in surgery and medicine.
- Member of the Royal Society, promoting the spread of medical knowledge through research and collaboration.
How did John Hunter share his medical knowledge with others?
- Wrote influential medical books including:
- The Natural History of the Human Teeth
- A Treatise on the Venereal Disease
- A Treatise on the Blood, Inflammation, and Gunshot
Wounds
- These works helped train future surgeons and encouraged scientific approaches to surgery.
- The Hunterian Museum, run by the Royal College of Surgeons, displays his extensive collection and continues to educate the public and professionals.
What was smallpox and why was it dangerous?
- Smallpox was a deadly disease with a 30% mortality rate. Survivors were often left with scarring, joint pain, or blindness.
- It caused a severe rash and was one of the most feared diseases of the time.
What was inoculation and what were its risks?
Inoculation involved giving someone a small dose of smallpox to make them immune.
Risks included:
- Contracting full-blown smallpox
- Not getting enough to develop immunity
What was Edward Jenner’s experiment and what did it prove?
- In 1796, Jenner infected James Phipps with cowpox and later exposed him to smallpox. Phipps didn’t get sick.
- This proved cowpox protected against smallpox. Jenner named the method vaccination (from vacca, Latin for cow).
