Knowledge Organiser - Modern Medicine 1700 - 2015
This period covers Medicine from the end of the Renaissance through Victorian times, two world wars and the creation of the NHS.
Key Words
Germ theory, bacteria, bacteria, microscope, vaccine, anthrax, cholera, magic bullets, anaesthetics, antiseptics, sterilised, operating theatre, infection, sanitation, staphylococcus, penicillin, antibiotics, x-rays, shrapnel, splint, infection, gangrene, shell shock, PTSD, blood transfusion, plastic surgery, transplant, War, poverty, squalor, Welfare State, NHS, DNA.
Key Events
| Year | Event | Year | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1837 | Cholera Outbreak | 1967 | First heart transplant |
| 1861 | Pasteur's Germ Theory | 1978 | 1st IVF baby born |
| 1928 | Penicillin discovered | 1978 | Smallpox irradicated |
| 1942 | Beveridge Report | 2006 | Smoking ban |
| 1948 | NHS introduced | 2008 | 1st face transplant |
| 1953 | DNA discovered | 2015 | Smoking ban in cars |
Key People
- Edward Jenner (1796 1st Vaccine/Smallpox)
- Louis Pasteur (1850's - 1860's germ theory/microbes).
- Robert Koch (1870's - 1880's bacteria)
- Joseph Lister (1865 discovery of antiseptic, 'Father of modern medicine')
- Alexander Flemming (1928 discovery of Penicillin)
- Aneurin Bevan (creator of the NHS)
Key Concepts
Improvements in surgery and impacts of war and technology
The key problems of surgery were pain, infection, and blood loss. Anaesthetics - nitrous oxide was identified by Humphrey Davy. Antiseptics - Lister used carbolic acid to stop the spread of germs, spraying it on hands, wounds, equipment and in the room. The next step was aseptic surgery where germs were removed from the room. WW1 brought new injuries caused by new weapons. Infections such as gangrene were common. Shell shock was identified during the war. Today it is known as PTSD. Karl Landsteiner had discovered blood groups which helped doctors complete blood transfusions. In WW2 Heart surgery progressed through Dwight Harken who operated on 134 hearts with no fatalities. DNA and stem cells are being mapped and used to grow new organs.
Public Health
The Industrial Revolution led to a population explosion and a movement of people into the rapidly expanding towns. The back-to-back houses and lack of sanitation led to outbreaks of Cholera. This identified problems in the towns and cities leading to the 1848 Public Health Act.