The document traces the history and development of health and medicine from prehistoric times to the present, highlighting several important developments. In prehistoric times, people believed diseases were caused by demons and witch doctors used herbal remedies. During ancient times, childbirth and infancy were extremely dangerous, with 1 in 8 women and 1 in 4 babies dying. Hippocrates in ancient Greece was considered the father of modern medicine for establishing medicine as a science based on observation rather than superstition. Major developments included the invention of the microscope during the Renaissance, germ theory and antisepsis during the Industrial Revolution, and antibiotics and modern medical technologies in the 20th century. The future may include more advanced prosthetics, 3D

1. The History of Health and
Medicine

2. Prehistoric times
• People believed that demons and spirits
caused diseases.
• Witch doctors used herbs and plants.
• People did not live long.
Cure for a
headache.

3. The danger of childbirth and being a
baby in ancient times.
• 1 out of 8 women died during childbirth.
• 1 out of 4 children died when they were a
baby.

4. Hippocrates: The Father of Modern
MedicineLived 2500 years ago.
He and his students
wrote 60 books.
He believed diseases
had a natural cause,
instead of superstition.
The Hippocratic Oath

5. Aristotle of Greece
Dissected many animals.
Studied anatomy.
He thought good diet and
cleanliness were important.

6. Doctor Galen: Blood letting
Blood letting seems
crazy, but sometimes it
worked!
Leeches suck blood.

7. Mercury
For hundreds of
years, mercury was
used as a
medicine.
We now know it is
very poisonous.

8. The torpedo fish relieves pain
It gives an electric shock
like a taser gun.

9. Romans
Drained swamps to stop malaria.
Made the first sewers.
Tools for
surgery.

10. The Dark Ages- 400 a.d. to 800 a.d.
People were not allowed to study
medicine.
Religious people took care of sick
people.
People prayed to get better.

11. The Middle Ages 800-1400 a.d.
• The bubonic plague, tuberculosis, smallpox,
typhoid and other diseases killed 75% of the
people in Europe and Asia.
The plague was
spread by fleas on
rats.
A plague
doctor.

12. The Renaissance 1400-1700 a.d.
Microscopes were invented.
The printing press let knowledge
spread.
Doctors studied human anatomy.
The “Age of Enlightenment”

13. The Industrial Revolution- Late 1700’s-
1800’s
The smallpox
vaccine was
invented in
1796.
People learned that bacteria and
viruses cause disease.
Doctors started to keep hospitals
sterile and clean.
Millions of lives were saved.

14. Heroin as medicine
In the 19th century drugs
like heroin and morphine
were used often and
were easy to buy.
Now we know they are
dangerous.

15. Lobotomy
A lobotomy was done for
people with mental
problems during the
1940’s-1960’s.
It can make them calmer,
but often can go very
wrong.

16. Modern Times: 1900-present
• Penicillin was discovered in 1920.
MRI scans and X-rays
help save lives.
Laser eye
surgery.

17. World map of average life expectancy

18. Antibiotic resistant germs
Viruses and bacteria are
evolving.
Antibiotics don’t work as
well now as they used to.
This is becoming a big
problem.

19. The Future?
A high tech prosthetic
arm.
A 3d printer making a
human heart.
Nanobots
in your
blood.

20. Questions
• What is the average life expectancy of a Thai person?
• What happened in the renaissance that helped science
and medicine?
• What does the torpedo fish make that can help relieve
pain?
• What does an antibiotic do?
• What is a vaccine?
• What percent of babies died during ancient times?
• What is one kind of medical technology that we may
expect in the future?