Lecture 1 Great Diseases of the World

What are five diseases that this man could have as evidenced by the lesions on his skin?

• Small Pox 

• Leprosy 

• Chicken Pox 

• Measles 

• Monkey Pox (M Pox) 

Why did people dress like plague doctors?

• Glasses - protects eyes

• Breathed through the beak to not breathe (bad air) 

• Sticks - poke their patients 

• Robes - protect their bodies 

• Hat - protect their head 

• Closed toed shoes - protects their feet 

(true/false) We have lived through several pandemics recently and will face others in your lifetime

true

define pandemic

an epidemic of infectious disease that has spread across a large region or multiple continents or worldwide affecting a large number of people or animals.

give an example of a pandemic

• COVID

• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza spill over into many mammal species

• Reemerging Monkey Pox now called Mpox and human to human transmission.

What are the two main purposes of wearing face coverings?

1. reduce the amount of virus spreading from the wearer (who may not know they are spreading the virus) into the environment and to others.

2. reduce the likelihood that large droplets containing virus that are generated by others may enter the nose and mouth of the wearer.

(true or false) If you have an upper respiratory infection you might consider wearing a mask in class to help protect your classmates from getting your virus infection as well

True

What is the two basic meanings of medicine

1. The Science of Healing; the practice of the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease, and the promotion of health.

2. Medications, drugs, natural substances like plants and chemical substances used to treat and cure diseases, and to promote health.

What does Australopithecus mean?

• Latin australis "southern", Greek "ape"

• Is a genus of extinct hominids

• It is closely related to the human genus Homo and may be ancestor

What’s some of history about Australopithecus

It shared several traits with modern apes and humans and were widespread throughout Eastern and Northern Africa around 3.5 to 4.9 million years ago.

Who is Lucy?

• One of our oldest relatives

• Ethiopia 3.2 million years old.

• The most famous fossil

• part of the Australopithecus apheresis

What is Australopithecus apheresis

• an extinct species that lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago.

• was ancestral to both the genus Australopithecus and the genus Homo, which includes the modern human species, Homo sapiens.

What did Australopithecus apheresis people eat?

fruit, vegetables, and tubers

label this diagram

what is the major reason humans migrated

food security

where did human migration begin?

out of Africa approximately 70,000 years ago

Why do Humans Migrate to New Homes?

• Been ongoing for thousands of years

• Population growth and crowding

• Disease outbreaks

• Drought and climate change

• Crop failure and starvation (food security)

what does agriculture contribute to?

the development of civilization

Around when did prehistoric societies evolve from nomadic lifestyles?

• 10,000 years ago in many locations around the world

• has a long history for thousands of years of hunting and gathering

what present day counties the historic fertile crescent is found?

Iraq, Syria, Egypt. Turkey, Iran

what rivers are along the fertile crescent

Tigris and Euphrates

where is the birth of agriculture?

• the fertile crescent

• Babylon

Why is it called the fertile crescent?

• began modern agriculture

• domestication of grasses (grains)

  • Wheat

  • Rye

  • Barely

• Domestication of pulses

  • beans

  • Lentils

  • Chickpeas

• domestication of animals

  • cattle

  • sheep

  • goat

  • pig

  • cat

  • goose

what and when was the first writing developed?

• Cuneiform (writing based on wedge-like characters)

• Around 3500 B.C Middle East

what was one of the earliest records from the middle east?

A recipe for making beer in cuneiform

what has the growing population lead to?

more diseases

• hunting vs. agriculture

What’s the effect of agriculture?

• Increase in population

• Animal husbandry (zoonoses)

• Social organization

describe why agriculture was a lethal gift

• Development of communities and crowding

• Decreased variability of plants and animals

• Night soil and manure use → Parasitic diseases, bacterial diseases, flies

• Water contamination

• Zoonotic Diseases began to emerge Humans living in close contact with their domestic animals

• Plagues or disease outbreaks began to be described in humans living in agricultural and urban communities.

What is prehistoric medicine?

• Refers to medicine before humans were able to read and write.

• It covers a vast period, which varies according to regions and cultures.

what combination did people in prehistoric times believe in for conditions and diseases?

natural and supernatural causes and treatments

(true/false) people of today are certain about what prehistoric people knew about how the body works

false, nobody can be certain

define geophagy

refers to eating soil-like or earthy substances, such as chalk or clay

what did people use clay for in prehistoric times?

• trace materials

• use clay externally and internally for the treatment of cuts and wound

what is trepanning

drilling a hole into the human skull for the treatment of health problems or free the victim of demons and evil spirits

where is this skull located in the world (hint - museum)

A Human skull with trepanations at Monte Albán - Museo del Sitio (Del Sitio Museum) Oaxaca Mexico

(true/false) prehistoric peoples had a decent concept of public health

false, they had no concept of public health. this was due to their nomadic lifestyle, so they had no need or through to build public health infrastructure

(true/false) During pre-history, people were afflicted with ailments and diseases, just like we are today.

True

what diseases and conditions were most likely common in prehistoric times?

• Osteoarthritis

• micro-fractures of the spine and spondylolysis

• infections

• complications.

what was the life expectancy in prehistoric times

this ranged initially 18-25 years and then from 25 to 40 years, depending on regions and per-historic periods.

(true/false) prehistoric people used medicinal herbs

true

How did the knowledge of medicinal herbs spread?

• benefits

• harms

word of mouth because people did not read or write in those days

where would have prehistoric people gotten their herbs?

locally or traded with other groups

what materials would nomadic tribes have access to?

• Yarrow ( Achillea millefolium)

• Mallow

• Rosemary

• Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus)

what were medicine-men and shaman’s roles in the

• lived in tribes and people would seek help for health and medicine advice

• in charge of their tribe's health and gathered plant- based medications, mainly herbs and roots, carried out rudimentary surgical procedures, as well as casting spells and charms.

(true/false) shaman are still important today in many communities

true

how did people explain disease in prehistoric times?

unseen causes, (such as demons, spirits and gods) were blamed for making people ill. Cures or hexes put on people which made them fall ill.

what did people believe would treat disease from the supernatural?

people visited the shaman the shaman to appease the gods through chants, prayers, sacrifices and spells

(true/false) Even today people of many faiths still pray or go to shrines for their healing

true, Holy shrines in many religious faiths around the world.

what was the common method to try to heal individuals (hint - Gods & Spirits)

Spiritual healing

what kind of medicine is today becoming a growing industry as an alternative to visiting a physician

Alternative medicine

define disease

Broadly refers to any condition that damages the normal function of the body

define infectious disease

Diseases caused by infections with pathogens (aka ‘germs’) such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and helminths

define causative agent

the name of the pathogen that causes an infectious disease

what type of diseases are the deadliest in history

infectious diseases

Most of the diseases we are familiar with did not exist until recently, why?

They are a consequence of how we live, our cultures and technological advancements

what was the life expectancy in 1900s

32 years

what was the life expectancy in 2021

71 years

Why do you think life expectancy has increased since 1900?

• Better Public Health Practices

• Clean Water

• More Nutritious Food

• Antibiotics

• Vaccines

• Modern Medicine

what are the top 10 leading causes of death globally?

• Ischemic heart disease

• stroke

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• lower respiratory infections

• neonatal conditions

• trachea, bronchus, lung cancer

• Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

• diarroheal diseases

• diabetes mellitus

• kidney diseases

What do you think are the reasons for differences in causes of death among developed and developing countries?

Developing countries have:

• Poor infrastructures

• Lack of clean, potable water and sanitation

• Shortage of qualified health personnel to manage, control and contain the crisis/spread of disease. Lack of vaccines and cost of medicines.