Modern Britain c1900-present day (2024)

info from class and bbcbitesize

Briefly explain the timeline that led to the discovery of DNA.

* 1900 - Mendel: Theorised that genes come in pairs
* 1953 - Rosalind Franklin: Created images of DNA using x-rays
* 1953 - Watson and Crick: Used the x-rays to build a model of DNA with Franklin’s help. Discovered the double helix structure
* 1990 - Watson: launched the Human Genome Project to decode and map the human genome
* 2000- first draft of the project was completed

What discoveries has DNA led to?

* Better understanding of genetic conditions
* Stem cells can be grown into different cells

What lifestyle factors had scientists now discovered were harmful to people’s health?

* smoking
* alcohol
* diet
* lack of exercise
* stress

What changed in terms of the methods used for diagnosis?

* Medical testing as well as books and knowledge
* eg laboratories to test skin and blood
* x-rays, scans, endoscopes to see inside the body
* monitors

Give the eleven technological advancements made in medicine during this period.

1. Prosthetic limbs
2. x-rays
3. incubators
4. microscopes
5. pacemakers
6. dialysis machine
7. MRI + CT + ultrasound scans
8. Blood pressure and blood glucose monitors
9. Insulin pumps
10. endoscopes
11. hypodermic needles

Briefly describe the timeline for the discovery of magic bullets.

* 1909 - Paul Ehrlich: worked with Robert Koch, developed the first chemical drug that killed bacteria. It killed the bacteria that caused syphilis, but it also killed the patient (it was an arsenic compound)
* 1909 - Hata: tested all of the arsenic compounds and discovered Salvarsan 606 - the first magic bullet
* 1930s - Gerhard Domagk used the chemical prontosil to cure his daughter’s blood poisoning
* It was discovered to be a chemical called sulphonomide in both medicines that killed bacteria
* Sulphonomides could cure pneumonia, meningitis, and scarlet fever

What was the %%first antibiotic%%?

Penicillin

Briefly describe the %%discovery of penicillin.%%

1928 - Alexander Fleming: discovered that penicillin mould was killing staphylococci bacteria in his petri dishes that he left on a windowsill. He created the drug penicillin

Later - Howard, Florey and Ernest Chain: researched it further and tested it on humans but they only had £25 funding from the UK gov

1941-3 - Found a US drug company who was willing to produce penicillin on a large scale and it was used throughout WWII. They tested it on a policeman suffering from septicaemia (Albert Alexander) but they ran out of penicillin and he died

What was the 1911 National Insurance Act?

* It enabled workers to access medical care however it did not support the families of workers eg women and children.
* Workers paid into a fund so that future treatments could be paid for

When was the Ministry of Health set up?

1919

Why is it so difficult to diagnose lung cancer?

The symptoms (eg persistent cough, coughing up blood and weight loss) are also the symptoms of other illnesses and the cancer is often very developed at this stage.

What treatments are there for lung cancer?

* Surgery - to remove the tumour or a lung transplant
* Radiotherapy and chemotherapy to shrink the tumour and prevent growth
* Immunotherapy (patient’s immune system is boosted to kill cancer cells)

What have the government done to prevent lung cancer?

* Ban cigarette advertisements
* Tax on tobacco products increased
* Bans on smoking in public places
* Education on the risks of smoking
* Cigarettes packaged with graphic warnings
* Increase the legal age to buy tobacco from 16 to 18

When was the NHS formed?

1948

How did the NHS improve healthcare?

* All care was now free - everyone in the country can access it
* Some types of healthcare are still difficult to access eg dentistry

What kind of services does the NHS provide?

* Seeing a GP
* hospital care and surgery
* Health visitors for pregnant people and infants
* Ambulances
* Elderly healthcare
* Compulsory vaccines funded by the government
* Maternity care
* Blood transfusions

What disease prevention methods have the government put in place?

* Funding medical testing and vaccines
* Better rubbish and sewage disposal
* Laws banning smoking advertisements
* Laws improving air and water pollution
* Life style campaigns eg Change4Life

What surgical advancements are there?

* Keyhole surgery - better recovery
* Microsurgery - better recovery
* Robotic surgery - more precise

Give some examples of mass vaccination programmes funded by the government.

* diphtheria, 1942


* polio, 1950
* tetanus, 1961
* measles, 1968
* Covid-19, 2020