Evolution of Medicine: The Ever-Changing World of Healthcare
Introduction
When you hear the word "medicine," what comes to your mind? For some people, it's tablets and syrups. They are not entirely wrong, as a drug is a mixture of chemicals with an active medicinal component within it. For others, it is hospitals and clinics. Although it encompasses all these things, there is so much more to medicine.
What is Medicine?
The term "medicine" is derived from the Latin word "Medicus," which literally translates to “Pertaining to the art of healing” (Etymonline). The Oxford Dictionary defines medicine as the science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease (in technical use, often taken to exclude surgery). Hence, we can say that medicine is any art or science concerned with the systematic treatment of disease and the restoration of health.
History of Medicine
Throughout human civilization, we have witnessed people attempting to cure diseases, treat injuries, and prevent infections. Whether through cave paintings or hieroglyphs, we understand that our ancestors practiced some form of healthcare. The ancient Egyptians are credited with having the earliest medical documentation (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).
The Chinese are also known for ancient medical techniques dating back to 2000 BC. From acupuncture to balancing Qi, these procedures were used to diagnose and treat diseases. From historical records, the Greeks and Romans were heavily interested in medicine. Although their practices were shrouded in a lot of fetishism and mythologies, they still kept records (Nutton, 2011).
In fact, it is worth noting that the Caesarean Section, a ground-breaking procedure that has saved the lives of millions, was named after a former Roman emperor, Julius Caesar, as he was the first person recorded to have been born by such means. This shows the ingenuity of the people at that time. Furthermore, Hippocrates, a Greek philosopher, is known as the father of Medicine, and Galen of Pergamon, a Greek physician, is known as the Prince of Medicine. They were given these appellations due to their immense contribution to medical science at that time. The oath that medical doctors recite during their induction is known as the Hippocratic oath, as the first-ever oath was written by Hippocrates himself.
Even in recent times, we still see the relics of their ancient practices in our modern world. The Caduceus, often mistakenly used as the symbol of Medicine, has its roots in Greek mythology and is related to the rod of Asclepius (Levere, 1981).
Ancient Africans also had their own medical techniques. They understood vegetation and learned about herbs. They knew which trees cured fevers and which were poisonous. One key point to note is that the medical techniques developed in different ancient civilizations were a response to the uniqueness of their climate and environmental factors. So, Medicine was developed as a form of social adaptation and acclimatization. For instance, the prevalence of malaria is higher in the tropics and sub-Saharan Africa than in other regions. This means that people living in such areas developed techniques and discovered herbs specific to this very recurring disease.
Present-Day Medicine
As you may have noticed, the medical techniques used in contemporary times are more systematic in approach and differ remarkably from the practices of our ancestors.
What is responsible for this?
Firstly, increased interaction among humans from different civilizations due to war, trade, and colonization has caused the exchange of knowledge and technical know-how in various fields, with Medicine being no exception. Practices that were once native to a place were spread across countries and continents.
Secondly, between the late 17th century and early 18th century, many discoveries laid the foundation for modern-day Medical practices. The discovery of the cell by Robert Hooke, the invention of the compound microscope by Leuwenhoek, the compilation and acceptance of Gregor Mendel's theory, and the works of Jean Baptiste De Lamarck and Charles Darwin on evolution were all pivotal to the development of the Medical Science we know today.
Prior to this, the Renaissance of Italy witnessed great innovation in Medical practice. Quite notable is the work of Andreas Vesalius, who laid the foundation for modern human anatomy studies through his cadaveric dissections. The works of Leonardo Da Vinci also show the interest he had in the human body. The Vitruvian man is a work of his.
Between the 1800s and the early 2000s, much transpired in human history. Two World Wars were fought, we witnessed numerous major global pandemics, and radioactivity was discovered. All of these things had their impact on the development of Medicine in regard to procedures and infrastructure. A very important event was the discovery of vaccination by Edward Jenner, a groundbreaking procedure that has saved the lives of millions (Fenner, et al., 2002).
In recent times, we have used different imaging modalities to diagnose and treat diseases. These are non-invasive techniques that enable us to view organs within the body's habitus. These include sonography, MRI, CT scans, and Conventional radiography, among others.
The Future of Medicine
In the beginning, we were concerned with curing diseases and currently, we are more interested in preventing it. The next challenge now is reaching a point where man no longer has the ability to fall sick.
How is this possible, you wonder? The answer is Genetic engineering and biomedical sciences.
Since Gregor Mendel’s experiments in 1865, the field of Genetics has grown immensely. Now, not only do we understand that DNA contains the template for all biological manifestations, but we have learned how to alter these genes and cause changes in an organism.
This has led to other discoveries like GMOs and cloning. We are also able to treat congenital anomalies using these techniques.
If genes are the basis for everything, they also play a role in aging and disease. We are now left to contemplate concepts like immortality and insusceptibility to disease due to genetic modification
Conclusion
What an extraordinary journey it has been. From ancient herbal remedies to the frontiers of genetic engineering, the field of medicine has advanced in ways our ancestors could only dream of. With the potential for genetic modification and the prevention of diseases, the future of healthcare holds immense promise. As we move forward, the world of medicine continues to evolve, offering new hope for the health and well-being of humanity.
Works Cited
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Ancient Egyptian Medicine." metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ancm/hd_ancm.htm.
Nutton, V. (2011). Ancient Medicine. The Oxford Handbook of the History of Medicine, Oxford University Press.
Levere, T. H. (1981). The Caduceus, the Staff of Aesculapius, and the Origins of the Medical Symbol. In From Galileo to Newton, Oxford University Press.
Fenner, F., Henderson, D. A., Arita, I., Jezek, Z., & Ladnyi, I. D. (2002). Edward Jenner and the Smallpox Vaccine. American Journal of Infection Control, 30(6), 403-406.
