Scientific:Experimental Medicine from Scientific Revolution (Önder İlgili)

Historical Overview

• 17th Century Medicine

  • Key Figures:

    • William Harvey

    • Sanctorius Sanctorius

    • Thomas Sydenham

    • Margello Malpighi

    • Antony Van Leeuwenhoek

  • Characteristics:

    • Scientific revolution marked by the rise of new scientific thought.

    • Established National Science Academies:

      • Italian Science Academy (1603)

      • French Academy of Sciences (1635)

      • Royal Society of London (1662)

      • Berlin Academy of Sciences (1700)

    • Introduction of the first international scientific journal, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (1665).

    • Development of early medical journals:

      • First medical journal in French (1679)

      • Medicina Curiosa (1684), first medical journal in English.

    • Emergence of Turkish academic institutions, including Turkish Academy of Sciences (1993) and first Turkish medical journal Vekayi-i Tıbbiye (1848).

• Intellectual Climate

  • Marked dissatisfaction with traditional practices.

  • Transition towards new discoveries alongside persistence of old concepts, like Galenic pathology of humours.

  • Presence of two dominant schools of thought:

    • Iatro-physical Theory: Body as a machine.

    • Iatro-chemical Theory: Body as a test tube of chemical reactions.

Major Contributors of the 17th Century

• William Harvey (1578-1657)

  • Described blood circulation and heart function, building on prior work from scholars.

  • Challenged Galenic theories regarding blood production in the liver.

  • Utilized measurement and calculations in biological studies leading to the publication of De motu cordis (1628).

• Sanctorius Sanctorius (1561-1636)

  • Inventor of the first clinical thermometer and the "weighing machine" for metabolic studies.

  • His methods led to the concept of metabolism.

• Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689)

  • Noted as the greatest clinical physician of the 17th century, respected for his observations rather than book learning.

• Margello Malpighi (1628-1694)

  • Use of primitive microscopes led to discoveries of blood circulation via capillaries, supporting Harvey's theories.

• Antony Van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723)

  • Pioneering microscopist who ground lenses to produce magnifications which allowed observation of microorganisms.

18th Century Developments

• Intellectual Movements:

  • Enlightenment began with the English Revolution (1688) and peaked with the French Revolution (1789).

  • Advancement of rationalism and science significantly impacted medical practices.

• Characteristics:

  • Progress in scientific knowledge slowly impacting clinical practices.

  • Continued reliance on traditional methods such as cupping and purging.

• Innovative Methods:

  • Percussion: Developed by Leopold Auenbrugger, applied to diagnose chest diseases.

  • Auscultation: Enhanced by René Laennec with the invention of the stethoscope.

19th Century Medical Advancements

• Technological Transformations:

  • Marked shifts in practice due to discoveries in microscopy leading to histology and cytology.

• Cell Theory Development:

  • Robert Hooke's observations of cells evolved into the foundational Cell Theory by Rudolf Virchow.

  • Cells as basic units of life, origins of diseases linked to cellular changes.

• Germ Theory Validation:

  • John Snow's identification of cholera source.

  • Louis Pasteur's work on microorganisms and vaccination breakthroughs.

  • Robert Koch's identification of bacteria linked to diseases and formulation of Koch’s postulates.

Key Medical Procedures and Discoveries

• Anesthesia and Surgery:

  • Introduction of anesthetics like nitrous oxide and ether allowed for pain-free surgeries.

• Antiseptics:

  • Ignaz Semmelweiss highlighted importance of hand hygiene, leading to Joseph Lister's antiseptic techniques in surgery.

20th Century Milestones

• Pharmacology:

  • Emergence as a science, with drugs like aspirin synthesized and marketed.

• Antibiotics Discovery:

  • Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin revolutionized treatment of infections.

• Genetics Understanding:

  • Discovery of DNA structure by Watson & Crick in 1953.

• Advancements in Imaging:

  • Development of X-rays, CT scans, MRIs providing non-invasive diagnostics.

• Artificial and Prosthetic Innovations:

  • Development of heart-lung machines and prosthetics.

• Challenges:

  • Despite advancements, many diseases remain without effective treatments, highlighting the need for continued research and accessible care.