Medicine

1. Medicine in England till 1750 list of content some words are explained, you have to click on the words which are underlined in the text and please only go on with the presentation by clicking on the words

2. list of contents • basis of treatment • epidemics and diseases in the 18.th century • how epidemics were cured • jobs in medicine • important and famous doctors • further information • sources

3. basis of treatment • medicine of the 18th century based on folk medicine • in folk medicine common maladies, as cold, were accepted as part of the life and treated with herbal therapeutics • serious and disabling diseases were seen to have a supernatural origin, e.g. as a spell cast upon the victim, a visitation by a malevolent demon or the work of an offended god • back

4. epidemics and diseases in the 18.th century • Pest – black death • Consumption • Pox • next foil  “how epidemics were cured” • back

5. how epidemics were cured • Cure of Pest - Black Death • Disinfectant : vinegar, smoke, brimstone, and perfume (later the world famous “kölnisch Wasser” was developed out of it) • the doctors wear suits and “Schnabelmasken” • highest agent against the epidemics is fearlessness • windows should only opened northbound • during the day sleeping was forbidden • dangerous was clammy warm weather an south wind and also the air over standing waters • the pest was supposed to be attracted by the beauty of young girls • isolation and quarantine were introduced • other epidemics like pox and consumption can´t be healed • back

6. Jobs in medicine • back

7. important and famous doctors • Edward B. Jenner • Robert Whytt • Stephan Hales • John Hunter • James Lind • back

8. further information • medical response to epidemic disease during 18th century in London • London was free from major epidemics between 1730 and 1830 • the 18th century medical responses to epidemic diseases were not comparable to the standards of the Victorian health movement • medical individualism was very popular in the 18th century • the treatment was centred around every patient himself and did not extend to the effects for the whole society • later there was a new development of the response on epidemic diseases, which happened on three levels: Observational , the practical and the institutional • the observation was directed towards the better understanding of the causes of disease • through this a connection between the diseases and insanitary conditions were made • on the practical level the physicians tried to improve the health of individuals through public health and education • the physicians established also institutions as dispensaries and special hospitals for infectious fevers • E.g. the London smallpox hospital was founded in 1746 • physicians mostly cared about lives of middle and upper classes, because they often had a private practise and depended on the money paid for the treatment • but it was also a frequent custom to serve, free of charge, in the city’s voluntary hospitals • back

9. Edward B. Jenner • was an English scientist who studied his natural surroundings in Berkeley • he is often credited as the first doctor to introduce and study the smallpox vaccine • he was practicing herbal medicine instead of magic cures • back 1749-1823

10. Robert Whytt • was professor of theory of medicine at the University of Edinburgh • studied medicine at Edinburgh, Paris and Leyden • Topics he worked on include • unconscious reflexes • tubercular meningitis • urinary bladder stones • hysteria • In 1736, he became a medical doctor at the University of Reimsand and in 1747 professor of medicine at Edinburgh • He also was the doctor of King George III since 1761 • back 1714 – 1766

11. Stephan Hales 1677 –1761 • was an English physiologist, chemist and inventor • Hales discovered the dangers of breathing stale air, and invented a ventilator which improved survival rates when employed on ships, in hospitals and in prisons • known as a pioneer of experimental physiology, Hales showed that some reflexes are mediated by the spinal cord • Hales studied stones taken from the bladder and kidneys • and suggested solvents which might reduce them without surger • he also invented the surgical forceps • he writes an essay ith the title Vegetable Staticks (1727) • The second volume (1733) on Haemastaticks, containing experiments on the "force of the blood" in various animals, its rate of flow, and the capacity of the different vessels • back

12. John Hunter 1728 - 1793 • was a Scottish surgeon regarded as one of the most distinguished scientists and surgeons of his day • he was an early advocate of careful observation and scientific method in medicine • Hunter was an excellent anatomist • among his numerous contributions to medical science are  • study of human teeth and advancement of dentistry • extensive study of inflammation • fine work on gun-wounds and on veneral diseases including inoculating • an understanding of the nature of digestion, and verifying that fats are absorbed into the lacteals, a type of small intestine lymphatic capillary, and not into the intestinal blood capillaries as was generally accepted. • the first complete study of the development of a child from fetus to birth • proves that the maternal and foetal blood supplies are separate • the role of the lymphatic system • back

13. James Lind • he was the pioneer of naval hygiene in the Royal Navy • he proved that citrus fruits cured scurvy • he also proposed that fresh water could be obtained by distilling sea water • by his work he also influenced practices of preventive medicine and good nutrition among British soldiers • back 1716– 1794 Discover of cure for scurvy, lack of adequate vitamin C

14. vocabs • malevolent : böswillig back • vinegar : Essig back • consumption: Abhängigkeit back • pox : Pocken back • midwife: Hebamme back • surgeon : Chirurg back • smallpox vaccine : Pockenimpfstoff back • tubercula meningitis : Hirnhautentzündung back • urinary bladder stones : Blasensteine back • chemist : Apotheker back • stale : muffig back • spinal cord : Rückenmark back • kidney : Niere back • vessels : Adern back • inflammation : Entzündung back • digestion : Verdauung back • inestine : Darm back • supplies Versorgung back

15. sources • http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/372460/history-of-medicine/35641/Medicine-and-surgery-before-1800 • http://www.answers.com/topic/apothecaries • http://www.history.ac.uk/ihr/Focus/Medical/epihardy.html • the end of the presentation

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