Medical Terminology Unit 3 History

What did ancient Greek physicians call skin?

Derma (greek); it could mean human skin, leather, hide, very interchangeable

What did Aristotle think skin was formed from?

The Earth because it became dry as water evaporated

What did Artistole believe about hair formation

that hair formed from skin and depended on heat and water

What did Galen consider skin to be

He called it an “organ of touch” meaning that it was like a tool/instrument that was used to accomplish a function

What did Galen believe about human fingernails

that they were designed for human activities (to write, sculpt, etc.) and shouldn’t be long like claws or talons

Who and what major invention advanced the study of skin

Marcello Malpighi used a microscope to identify the layer that gave pigment to the skin in 1665

What did Malpighi call the layer of pigmented skin

“rete mucosum” meaning mucous net

Where does the term histology come from

Greek histos meaning ‘web’ or ‘something woven’

When did dermatology develop as a specialized field?

Mainly during the late 18th and early 19th century (1700s-1800s)

What did ancient Greek medicine often use skin changes to indicate?

they viewed skin changes as signs of hidden diseases in the body

What 5th century BC specialized in skin lesions

Hippocrates text on Ulcers

How did ancient physicians understand pus

they believed there was “good” and “bad” pus

• encouraged suppuration (formation of pus) because they thought it was good but actually made infections worse somethings

• bad pus was foul and bad-smelling

• obvious lack of understanding of bacterial infections

What did ancient Greek medicine use skin color for?

As a sign of disease and connected it to a person’s character

• example: very dark or very pale people were viewed as being cowardice

what did Carl Linnaeus do in Systema naturae

he classified humans into 4 “species” based on skin color and geography

When were cosmetics used in Greek and Roman societies

They were used in antiquity, especially by women, to preserve their beauty and age

• used to restore hair loss as well and wrinkles

How did Galen distinguish medicine from cosmetics

Medicine restored natural beauty and health, cosmetics artificially changed appearance

What early form of plastic surgery did Celsus describe?

Using nearby skin flaps to cover wounds and correct mutilations

What is the basic historical progression of skin science?

Ancient Greece → Galen → Microscope → Histology → Dermatology