Medicine through Time

These flashcards cover key medical concepts, figures, and theories from historical periods in medicine, including the Medieval, Renaissance, and modern eras.

Theory of Four Humours

A medical theory proposed by Hippocrates which states that four bodily fluids (blood, black bile, yellow bile, phlegm) need to be balanced for good health.

Hippocratic Oath

An oath created by Hippocrates that binds doctors to practice medicine ethically and to do no harm.

Theory of Opposites

Galen's theory that imbalances in the four humours could be treated by giving the patient substances with opposing qualities.

Black Death

A devastating plague that wiped out 40% of Britain's population in 1348, believed to be a curse from God.

Astrology in Medicine

The practice of using a star chart to determine ailments based on the time of a patient's birth and their illness.

Andreas Vesalius

A Renaissance physician who challenged Galen's teachings by proving him wrong over 300 times and published detailed anatomical drawings.

Blood Circulation

The discovery made by William Harvey that blood circulates throughout the body, countering Galen's belief that blood was created in the liver.

Germ Theory

A theory developed by Louis Pasteur in 1861, stating that diseases are caused by microorganisms that can be killed through pasteurization.

Vaccination

A method of introducing a weakened form of a virus to protect against diseases, first developed by Edward Jenner using cowpox to prevent smallpox.

Public Health Act of 1875

An act passed to mandate sanitary conditions in urban areas, aiming to improve hygiene and public health.

Penicillin

The first effective antibiotic discovered by Alexander Fleming, used to kill bacteria, which was later mass-produced for medical use.

Magic Bullets

Compounds designed to target diseases and kill pathogens without harming healthy tissue, pioneered by Paul Ehrlich with the drug Salvarsan.

NHS (National Health Service)

Launched in 1948, it provided healthcare free at the point of delivery in the UK.

Quarantine

A method used to prevent the spread of diseases, where infected individuals were confined to their homes, notably during the Great Plague.

Chloroform

An anesthetic discovered by James Simpson in 1847, primarily used during childbirth, despite some opposition due to beliefs regarding pain.

Catgut

Material used by Joseph Lister to tie blood vessels, which was sterilized with carbolic acid to reduce infection rates in surgeries.