The History and Overview of Medical Technology

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, people, institutions, and milestones in the history and practice of Medical Technology as presented in the notes.

The branch of medicine also known as clinical laboratory science or laboratory medicine that applies diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic laboratory analyses to monitor and improve health.

Medical Technology

Philippine law approved June 21, 1969, defining medical technology as performing laboratory determinations to aid diagnosis, study, and treatment of disease and to promote health.

PMT Act of 1969 (RA 5527)

Ancient Egyptian medical text (circa 1500 B.C.) describing medical knowledge, including treatments for diseases and chapters on various body systems; notes describe hookworm treatment.

Ebers Papyrus

A parasitic infection described in the Ebers Papyrus as part of ancient medical treatments.

Hookworm disease (Ebers Papyrus reference)

Oldest laboratory procedure involving the examination of urine for diagnostic information.

Urinalysis

Father of Medicine; advocated diagnostic use of mind and senses and described the four humors.

Hippocrates

Blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile; balance indicates health, imbalance indicates disease.

Four Humors

Diagnosis by visual examination of urine, a key medieval diagnostic practice.

Uroscopy

Regulation making physicians’ failure to examine urine punishable by public beatings, illustrating urine’s diagnostic importance.

Jerusalem Code of 1090

Father of Microbiology; used early microscopes to describe bacteria, blood cells, spermatozoa, and protozoa.

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

Credited with inventing the early microscope (1590s).

Zaccharias Janssen

Medieval period proponent who suggested MT began in the medieval era, supported by urinalysis practices.

Ruth Williams

Scholar who described medical technology as the application of laboratory principles to aid in diagnosis and treatment.

Anne Fagelson

Reference to a description of MT as the health professions performing laboratory analyses to inform diagnosis and health maintenance.

Walters

Definition of medical technology as the application of natural, physical and biological sciences in laboratory procedures to diagnose and treat disease.

Ruth Heinemann

Alternative term for Medical Technology; the discipline focused on laboratory analyses for patient care.

Clinical Laboratory Science

MT is described as interdisciplinary, integrating multiple scientific disciplines for patient care.

Interdisciplinary (in MT context)

MT discipline focused on blood and blood disorders and related laboratory testing.

Hematology

MT discipline involving chemical analyses of body fluids to diagnose and monitor disease.

Clinical Chemistry

MT discipline dealing with microorganisms and their role in human disease and diagnostic testing.

Medical Microbiology

MT discipline involving microscopic examination of clinical specimens to aid diagnosis.

Clinical Microscopy

MT discipline studying immune system components and responses related to disease diagnostics.

Immunology

MT discipline focused on antibody-antigen reactions and related diagnostic tests.

Serology

MT discipline studying disease processes at the tissue/organ level.

General Pathology

Ancient text noting treatment approaches for parasitic infections such as hookworms.

Ebers Papyrus (hookworm reference)

American physician who established a laboratory at Bellevue and taught pathology; first pathology professor at Johns Hopkins.

William H. Welch

Opened the first clinical laboratory at Johns Hopkins (1896); routine and specialized blood/malaria testing; lab programs at other institutions.

William Osler

Author of Clinical Diagnosis: A Manual of Laboratory Methods, influential in early laboratory medicine.

James C. Todd

Four criteria linking specific microbes to specific diseases, foundational to infectious disease science.

Koch’s Postulates

Founding figure in modern bacteriology who identified key pathogens (e.g., Bacillus anthracis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Vibrio cholerae) and supported germ theory.

Robert Koch

Louis Pasteur; studied bacteria, developed pasteurization to prevent spoilage, and contributed to vaccines (e.g., anthrax).

Pasteur

Cholera investigator who linked outbreaks to contaminated water sources, notably the Broad Street pump.

John Snow

Father of microscopic pathology; advanced pathology studies and established Berlin pathology archives.

Rudolf Virchow

German chemist who developed the first qualitative glucose test for urine.

Herman von Fehling

Site of the first hospital laboratory in Britain."

Guys Hospital (Britain)

Site of the first clinical laboratory established in the United States.

University of Michigan Hospital

Issued a course bulletin for Medical Technology, marking the first degree-level MT program in the U.S.

1923 University of Minnesota MT program

Accelerated growth of clinical laboratory medicine through blood transfusion practices, instrumentation, automation, and quality control.

World War II impact on MT

First clinical laboratory in the Philippines, originated from the 26th Medical Laboratory; located at 208 Quiricada Street; later became part of Manila Health Department.

Manila Public Health Laboratory

Filipino physician who preserved the Manila laboratory; first City Health Officer of Manila; lab later named Manila Public Health Laboratory.

Dr. Pio de Roda

Collaborated with de Roda to train laboratory technicians and helped develop formal training programs.

Dr. Prudencia Sta. Ana

Four-year degree for MT professionals; formal recognition of MT education in the Philippines.

BSMT (Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology)

First MT graduate from the Philippines (1954) at Philippine Union College; first to complete a 4-year BSMT program.

Jesse Umali

University of Santo Tomas received full recognition for its 4-year BSMT program.

UST MT program (1961)

Philippine Association of Medical Technologists; professional MT organization established around 1970.

Pamet (PAMET)

Location of the first complete MT laboratory infrastructure in the Philippines.

Manila Sanitarium Hospital MT facilities