GCSE History - Medicine Through Time - Vocabulary Flashcards

Key vocabulary terms and definitions from GCSE History notes on medicine through time.

Galen

Greek physician whose ideas were rediscovered and accepted as absolute truth in medical schools during the medieval period.

Four Humours Theory

Medieval belief that illness was caused by an imbalance of blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile.

Miasma

The belief that diseases were caused by bad air.

Andreas Vesalius

Anatomist who wrote 'On The Fabric of the Human Body' and corrected some of Galen's mistakes.

Ambroise Paré

Battlefield surgeon who developed ligatures to seal wounds and disproved Galen's bezoar stone theory.

William Harvey

Discovered the circulation of blood, disproving Galen's ideas about blood flow.

The Great Plague of 1665

A severe outbreak of the bubonic plague in London, resulting in approximately 100,000 deaths.

Edward Jenner

Developed the smallpox vaccination by using cowpox to create immunity.

Florence Nightingale

Improved hygiene and nursing care, significantly reducing death rates during the Crimean War.

Louis Pasteur

Discovered germ theory and proved that germs in the air caused the souring of sugar beet and other liquids.

Robert Koch

Linked specific diseases to the microbes that caused them, developed culturing and dyeing techniques to study microbes.

Joseph Lister

Introduced antiseptics (carbolic spray) in surgery to prevent infection based on Pasteur's germ theory.

Edwin Chadwick

Reported on the poor living conditions and health of the poor, advocating for improved sanitation and water supply.

John Snow

Proved the link between cholera and contaminated water supply, leading to clean water initiatives.

Great Stink

The putrid smell from the River Thames in 1858, prompting the construction of London's sewage system.

Public Health Act of 1875

Forced local authorities to provide clean water, proper drainage, sewage systems, and appoint medical officers.

X-rays

Improved surgery by enabling surgeons to locate and remove deeply lodged bullets and shrapnel.

Blood Groups

Discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1901, making blood transfusions successful.

Penicillin

First antibiotic, discovered by Alexander Fleming and developed by Florey and Chain.

NHS

National Health Service, introduced by Aneurin Bevan, providing healthcare from cradle to grave.

Penicillin

First antibiotic, discovered by Alexander Fleming and developed by Florey and Chain.

NHS

National Health Service, introduced by Aneurin Bevan, providing healthcare from cradle to grave.

In what year was Penicillin first discovered and by whom?

Penicillin was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming.

Who further developed Penicillin into a usable medicine?

Howard Florey and Ernst Chain developed Penicillin into a usable medicine.

When was the National Health Service (NHS) established in the UK?

The NHS was established in 1948.

What are the main principles of the NHS?

The NHS is based on the principles of being free at the point of use, universal, and comprehensive.

What impact did X-rays have on surgery during the early 20th century?

X-rays allowed surgeons to locate foreign objects inside the body, improving the precision and success rates of surgeries.

Who discovered blood groups and in what year?

Karl Landsteiner discovered blood groups in 1901.

Why was the discovery of blood groups important for medicine?

It made blood transfusions safer and more effective by ensuring compatibility between donor and recipient blood.