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Important Milestones in Medical History

  • Period: 400 to Jan 1, 1400

    Dark and Middle Ages

    The study of medical science stopped for over 1000 years. Empasis was placed on saving the soul and the study of medicine was prohibited. Medicine practiced only in monastaries and convents. Used herbal medicine. There were many plagues and epidemics(Bubonic plague, smallpox, diptheria, syphilis, tuberculosis).
  • Period: Jan 1, 1400 to

    The Renaissance

    Rebirth of Science(The Renaissance stimulated medical practice just as is did all other European intellectual pursuits. Physicians and scholars began to scientifically study medicine.) Medical Schools Were Built. The printing press made books possible and knowledge was shared(The printing press was the information superhighway.) Accepted the study of the body by dissection(Doctors learned about anatomy from watching these dissections.)
  • Period: Jan 1, 1501 to

    16th and 17th Centuries

    Andreas Versalius and Leondardo Da Vinci dissected human bodies and made the first anatomical drawings(helped in understanding the organs and systems of the human body.) Anton Von Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope. William Harvey described the circulation of blood and the pumping of the heart.
  • William Harvey Described the circulation of blook to and from the heart

    William Harvey Described the circulation of blook to and from the heart
    Revealed his finding at the College of Physicians in 1616, but published his research 1628 in a book entitled "An Anatomical Study of the Motion of the Heart and of the Blood in Animals".
  • Period: to

    18th Century

    Rene Laennec invented the stethoscope. Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals and found that colds could be passed from person to person. Edward Jenner accidently found the vaccination for smallpox(which is related to cowpox) while trying to find the cure for cowpox.
  • Gabriel Fahrenheit created thefirst mercury thermometer

    Gabriel Fahrenheit created thefirst mercury thermometer
  • Edward Jenner Developed a Vaccine for Smallpox in 1796

    Edward Jenner Developed a Vaccine for Smallpox in 1796
  • Period: to

    19th and 20th Centuries

    Joseph Lister(antiseptic), Ignas Semmelweiss(hand washing), Louis Pasteur(microorganisms cause disease/pasteurizations), Robert Koch(Father of Microbiology), Florence Nightingale(Mother of Nursing), Wilhelm Roentgen(discovered x-rays), Sigmund Froid(Father of Psychology), Clara Barton(established the American Red Cross), Elizabeth Blackwell(first woman doctor), Christian Barnard(did 1st heart transplant), Alexander Fleming(penicillin), Jonas Salk(polio vaccine), Alber Sabin(oral polio vaccine)
  • Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to qualify as a doctor in US

    Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to qualify as a doctor in US
    First female doctor in U.S.
  • Florence Nightengale opened Nightengale school and home for nurses in london

    Florence Nightengale opened Nightengale school and home for nurses in london
  • Dorothea Dix appointed Superintendent of Female Nurses of the Army

    Dorothea Dix appointed Superintendent of Female Nurses of the Army
  • Joeseph Lister began using disinfectants and antiseptics during surgery

    Joeseph Lister began using disinfectants and antiseptics during surgery
    The first doctor to use an antiseptic during surgery to prevent infection in the incision
  • Gregor Mendel Established the patterns of hereditory genes

    Gregor Mendel Established the patterns of hereditory genes
    Gregor Mendel's research with the pea plant took him eight years (1856-1863) and he published his results in 1865.
  • Robert Koch developed the culture plate method to identify pathogens

    Robert Koch developed the culture plate method to identify pathogens
  • Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross

    Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross
  • Louis Pasteur created vacine for rabies

    Louis Pasteur created vacine for rabies
  • William Roentgen Discovered X-rays in 1895

    William Roentgen Discovered X-rays in 1895
  • Marie Curie Isolated Radium in 1910

    Marie Curie Isolated Radium in 1910
    Marie Curie isolated radium. She later died from the radiation.
  • Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered and used insulin to treat diabetes

    Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered and used insulin to treat diabetes
  • Sir Alexander Fleming Discovered penecillin in 1928

    Sir Alexander Fleming Discovered penecillin in 1928
  • First kidney dialysis machine was developed

    First kidney dialysis machine was developed
  • Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine

    Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine
  • Joseph Murray performed the 1st successful kidney transplant in humans

    Joseph Murray performed the 1st successful kidney transplant in humans
  • Christian Barnard performed the 1st successful heart transplant

    Christian Barnard performed the 1st successful heart transplant
  • First "testube" baby, Louise Brown, was born in England

    First "testube" baby, Louise Brown, was born in England
  • The human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) causing AIDS was identified

  • First gene therapy to treat disease occured

  • Tissue Cloning

    Tissue Cloning
    Dolly the Sheep was cloned in 1997
  • Rhazes developed criteria for distinguishing between smallpox and measles

    Rhazes developed criteria for distinguishing between smallpox and measles