Medicine Throughout Human History
Introduction
From the ancient times to today, medicine and how it is implemented has changed in some ways and has stayed the same in others. In ancient times, it was customary for societies to view health from the lens of spirituality, music, and food. Today, these customs can still be found in various branches of medicine, such as homeopathy and different forms of therapy. Pharmacology in the Middle Ages relied heavily upon herbal and natural medicine, but in the 20th century the field was transformed by the industrialization of pharmacology, with lab-prepared pharmaceuticals displacing natural remedies (such as hempone of the most common natural medicines). Today, technology is also being used in ways never before imagined to aid in diagnostics, genetic engineering, and more. This paper will describe medicine as it has appeared throughout human history, beginning with the contributions of the major civilizations from ancient times, on up to modern advancements, and the ways in which medicine is used now.
Ancient Times
Every civilization throughout history has had its own view of medicine and illness. For example, the Greek doctor Dioscorides is the one who wrote De Materia Medica which became the definitive text on herbal medicine, used by the ancient Romans and essentially all of Western society up through the end of the Middle Ages (Brazier, 2018). One typical illustration of what can be found in De Materia Medica is that of the healing powers of the sea urchin: Dioscorides writes that it is good for the stomach, good for the intestines, and diuretic. The raw shell roasted well should be mixed with washing medications made for psoriasis. Burnt, it cleans foul ulcers and represses
abnormal growths on the flesh (p. 183). However, this is but one example of medicine in the ancient times. The Egyptians also followed a similar method of pharmacology, and so did the Chinese, who placed a great deal of emphasis on the healing and medicinal powers of food. Yo shn is a traditional Asian approach in which herbs and spices are used in meal preparation to for medicinal purposes (Hwang et al., 2014).
The fact is that most ancient cultures saw a strong connection between physical health and spiritual health. Another example comes from the philosopher Plato, who stated to think about curing the head alone, and not the rest of the body also, is the height of folly (Kyziridis, 2005, p. 43). This link was especially true in cases of mental illness. The Muslim Arab world was not unique in associating spiritual maladies with mental maladies; nonetheless, as Kyzridis (2005) points out, the word Majnun is the Muslim word for mad or possessed while a jinn is a supernatural spirit. According to Koran a jinn may lie behind a mental illness (p. 43). Hippocrates adopted a more physiological model based on bile and humors of the blood, which suggested that an imbalance of the body fluids may influence the brain and provoke madness (Kyziridis, 2005, p. 43). Then there is the famous Edwin Smith Papyrus, which reveals the extent of ancient Egyptian knowledge of medicine. All of these major civilizations...
…and it can be used to help people determine the state of their own
mental health.
Immunotherapy is being used to help combat cancer and operates on the idea that the body has the ability, i.e., the tools, to fight cancer cells on its own and all it needs is to be supported. It is essentially the idea of Mosher, just updated for the modern era to include the use of immunosurveillance and vitamins, probiotics and minerals known to support and enhance the immune system. Gene therapy is also being used to address instances genetic defect in which health issues like sickle-cell anaemia are combated by genetic engineering (Pomeroy, 2020).
Telemedicine is also helping care providers overcome time and space barriers that prevent people from obtaining access to care. Now patients can engage with care providers via telemedicine, which frees up the time of providers to engage with more patients and allows patients to recuperate or to be monitored from the convenience and comfort of their own homes. Technology has changed the way health care is provided in the digital age.
Conclusion
In many ways, the old methods of medicine can still be found. Many people still turn to natural, holistic medicines and homeopathic cures and remedies. Some still pursue the ancient Asian method of food therapy. Some still use music or spirituality as a remedy. Others prefer modern methods, including the use of pharmaceutical interventions, vaccination, and genetic therapy. All in all, there are many approaches in medicine, and new ones are being developed all the time, such as immunotherapy, which builds on…
