A Brief History of Western Medical Practice

These flashcards cover important terms and concepts from the history of Western medical practice, medicalization, and critiques of contemporary medical systems.

Hippocratic Oath

An ethical code proposed by Hippocrates that established fundamental principles for ethical medical practice.

Iatrogenesis

The creation of disease or illness as a result of medical care.

Clinical iatrogenesis

Injury or disability that results directly from medical care provided in a hospital or clinic.

Social iatrogenesis

The process whereby medical intervention starts at birth and continues through old age and dying.

Structural iatrogenesis

Loss of individual autonomy and the creation of dependency due to medical interventions.

Medicalization

The process by which more aspects of life become the concern of the medical profession.

Democratization

The rise of non-medical alternatives and the reduction of medical authority in defining health.

Mind-Body Connection

The integral relationship between physical health and spiritual or mental well-being.

Secularization of Medicine

The shift from a spiritual understanding of disease to one based on natural causes and empirical observation.

Galen

An ancient physician whose anatomical and physiological knowledge shaped medical understanding for over a millennium.

Quarantine

A method introduced during pandemics to isolate and restrict the movement of people to control disease.

Cartesian duality

The philosophical concept that separates the mind and body, influencing modern views on autopsies and medicine.

Medicalization of Human Behavior

The classification and treatment of deviant behavior as a medical condition.

Professional Control

The authority and power of the medical profession over specific medical practices and procedures.

Evidence-Based Medicine

A medical approach that emphasizes the use of empirical evidence to guide clinical decision-making.

Epidemic

A sudden outbreak of disease that affects many individuals in a community.