stage 20 info Flashcards
what was alexandria a centre for?
science and learning , the museum an it’s library where set up and financed by the greek rulers of eygpt, who attracted clever men who make discoveries in science and medicine
who was hypocrites?
greek doctor removing superstition from treating disease by observing his patients symptoms carefully and trying to discover their causes. he lived on the island of cos in 5ht century BC regarded as founder of medicine and science and had followers
what was the hippocratic oath?
into whatever houses i enter i will go into for the benefit of the sick, and will on stain from any voluntary act of mischief and corruption. whatever in my professional practice i see or hear, which ought not to be spoken abroad, i will divulge
how did hippocrates and his followers diagnose the body?
only investigated the surface of the body and not interior because the greeks felt the idea of dissecting a body was disagreeable and wicked
how did the eygptians diagnose the body?
with the ancient custom of mummifying corpses had a different attitude to the body and directions of corpses may have been performed by egyptian doctors , alexandria was a good place to study anatomy
who was the most famous anatomist?
Herophilus
what did Herophilus do?
gave a detailed description of the brain explained the differences between the tendons and nerves, arteries and veins , described the optic nerve and the eye including the retina, measured the frequency of the pulse and used this to diagnose fever and laid stress on importance of hygiene, diet, exercise and bathing
what would a experienced doctor of 1st century AD do?
treat minor aliments with drugs such as the juice of a wild poppy containing opium used to relive pain, unwashed sheeps wool used to treat wounds and swelling to soothe irritation
what were some alarming prescriptions in 1st century AD?
treatment of chilblains was prescribed boiled turnips, toothache was given a peppercorn to be inserted and then split into bits, tonsils were gripped with a hook and cut out with a scalpel then swilled out with vinegar
what operations would doctors do?
treating fractures by tying veins and arteries, reset broken bones with splints and stitch up wounds, eye operations to remove cataracts and amputation
what did doctors keep?
a high standard of cleanliness in operations to reduce infections but the best doctors were not improved upon unit 150 years ago
what was the museum at alexandria also famous for?
mathematics
who was euclid ?
a mathematician who worked at the library in 3rd century BC, wrote a book called the elements summarising all the previous knowledge of geometry being a school textbook until recent times
what did eratosthenes do?
he calculated the circumference of the earth was 24,662 miles remarkably close to the true figure of 24,860
what also developed in alexandria?
astronomy , astronomers at alexandria make the first attempts at calculating the distances between the moon and earth, the idea that he earth was round rotating on it’s axis and circled the sun with other planets the idea was forgotten about at the end of the western empire in 5th century and rediscovered in 16th century
