PHAR1101 Lecture 2: Lecture 2 – Health and medicine before the age of science
Lecture 2 – Health and medicine before the age of science
The scientific method consists of organised efforts to come up with explanations of nature, always
modifying and correcting these through systematic observations
Ancient Egyptians belief
The ebers papyrus
Contains herbal and magical remedies for common complaints
Based on purging: body contains toxins that cause illness - need to be expelled
Asthma: herbal smoke
Force bowel movements: milk and grains cooked with honey
Ochre clays: intestinal and eye complaints
74 prescriptions for hair washes, dyes, oils
Contraceptives
Spells - against pain
Shamanism
oDeal with the other realm
oBridge between spirit and physical world
oSpiritual/physical healer - trance
Fertile crescent cultures
Clay tablets
Diseases blame pre existing spirits
Identifying ancient drugs
Compounded by plants, resins and minerals
Poetic or allegorical names
Some have been identified
oLiquorice: gastric disorders
oOpium and myrrh: pain relief, sleep
Aegean
14 different deities
Asclepius: physician god of medicine
Hygeia: goddess of sanitation
Hippocrates of Cos: called father of modern medicine (this is not true)
oSystematise the description of disease duration (ST/lt0
oSystematise some elements of basic clinical observation
oDid not use scientific method to develop hypothesis to test different remedies
oAncient Greek medicine was not scientific
oPropagated humoral theory: dominated western medicine and especially drug therapy
until the 1800s
Humoral theory
4 elements which exist in body
Balanced: healthy
Hot, dry, cold, wet
Water, air, fire, earth
Phlegm, blood, yellow bile, black bile
Too much heat: too much blood - bleed them out
Too angry: too much yellow bile - take stuff to make you vomit
Depression: too much black bile - take stuff for bowel movement
Snuffle: too much phlegm - steaming, coughing
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Humoral theory + Aether
Traditional chine medicine
Humoral + wood + metal
Herbal based
Acupuncture
Origins of humoral theory
Can see phlegm
Visible signs of blood
Observations
Not scientific as was not tested
Long dark ages
Hippocratic approach used organisation, explanation and observation
Theory was more important to them than the observations
Left to rejection / loss of the idea that observation could refine theory
Theory and observation become separation
Observation was condemned as empiricism
Roman medicine
Copied Greeks classic
Based on observations
Galen of Pergamum
oGave exact measurements
oBelieved in a magical substance which would cure anything: theriac
Islam
Documents not to be critiqued
Heavily influenced by humoral theory/Greeks
Al-Rhazi
oIntroduced mercury
End of golden age of Islamic though
Intervention by scholar al- Ghazali
Rejected use of human reason in search for truth
Early medieval Europe
First European medical school
Medical schools began to proliferate through Europe
Paracelsus
Travelled all over Europe fighting with people challenging approach to medicine
Father of modern mixology
Believed in humoral theory, alchemy, astrology
Pharmacy and the rise of science
Expands in 1200s western Europe
Further explanations in Renaissance
1770s - flourished science of botany
Folk remedies more closely scrutinised: treatment for heart conditions
Humoral theory still persisted
Now called plethora fullness
oMainly blood
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oLeaches, cutting, laxatives to remove
Industrial revolution
19th century: proper technological resources: stop watches, grinders
Helped to
oIsolate elements
oStandardise doses
oMass produced remedies
oAdvertised and marketed products
oBetter communication between resources
Accidental drug discover: dye industry (sulfa - killed bacteria)
Measurements of doses has improved
Observation can be practiced more carefully (clear glass)
Theories were now tested by growing individuals with education, wealth and leisure
Dissemination of findings
Lecture 3 - How do drugs work?
Metoprolol
Angina
A symptom produced when the heart is not getting enough oxygen
Caused by partial blockage of blood vessels (coronary arteries) that provide oxygen to the
heart.
Exercise/stress- adrenaline release- increase heart rate/contraction - oxygen supply to heart
less than needed if arteries blocked - heart in oxygen debt- angina pain
Treatment
Lifestyle
oStop smoking
oWeight reduction
oHealthier diet
Drug therapy
oDecrease the number/frequency of angina episodes (metoprolol)
oNitro-glycerine: relieve the intensity of angina (improves blood flow in coronary
arteries)
oTo reduce chances of a heart attack
Blood thinners/lower cholesterol
Surgery
oTo clear/replace the blocked coronary artery
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Lecture 2 health and medicine before the age of science. The scientific method consists of organised efforts to come up with explanations of nature, always modifying and correcting these through systematic observations. Contains herbal and magical remedies for common complaints. Based on purging: body contains toxins that cause illness - need to be expelled. Force bowel movements: milk and grains cooked with honey. 74 prescriptions for hair washes, dyes, oils. Shamanism: deal with the other realm, bridge between spirit and physical world, spiritual/physical healer - trance. Some have been identified: liquorice: gastric disorders, opium and myrrh: pain relief, sleep. Too much heat: too much blood - bleed them out. Too angry: too much yellow bile - take stuff to make you vomit. Depression: too much black bile - take stuff for bowel movement. Snuffle: too much phlegm - steaming, coughing. Hippocratic approach used organisation, explanation and observation. Theory was more important to them than the observations.
