history of medicine Facts

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class="md-content"> <div class="grid gx-0 container-lg px-0 py-lg-20 mx-auto"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/science/history-of-medicine">history of medicine</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/science/history-of-medicine">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref35641"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine#ref35641">Medicine and surgery before 1800</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35642"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine#ref35642">Early medicine and folklore</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35643"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine#ref35643">The ancient Middle East and Egypt</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35644"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Traditional-medicine-and-surgery-in-Asia">Traditional medicine and surgery in Asia</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35645"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Traditional-medicine-and-surgery-in-Asia#ref35645">India</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35646"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/China">China</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35647"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Japan">Japan</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35648"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Japan#ref35648">The roots of Western medicine</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35649"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Japan#ref35649">Early Greece</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35650"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Japan#ref35650">Hippocrates</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35651"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Hellenistic-and-Roman-medicine">Hellenistic and Roman medicine</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35652"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Hellenistic-and-Roman-medicine#ref35652">Christian and Muslim reservoirs of learning</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35653"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Hellenistic-and-Roman-medicine#ref35653">Translators and saints</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35654"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Hellenistic-and-Roman-medicine#ref35654">Arabian medicine</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35655"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Hellenistic-and-Roman-medicine#ref35655">Medieval and Renaissance Europe</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35656"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Hellenistic-and-Roman-medicine#ref35656">Salerno and the medical schools</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35657"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/The-spread-of-new-learning">The spread of new learning</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35658"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/The-spread-of-new-learning#ref35658">The Enlightenment</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35659"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/The-spread-of-new-learning#ref35659">Harvey and the experimental method</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35660"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/The-spread-of-new-learning#ref35660">The futile search for an easy system</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35661"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-18th-century">Medicine in the 18th century</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref35662"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-18th-century#ref35662">The rise of scientific medicine in the 19th century</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35663"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-18th-century#ref35663">Physiology</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35664"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Verification-of-the-germ-theory">Verification of the germ theory</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35665"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Verification-of-the-germ-theory#ref35665">Discoveries in clinical medicine and anesthesia</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35666"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Verification-of-the-germ-theory#ref35666">Advances at the end of the century</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref35667"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-20th-century">Medicine in the 20th century</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35668"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-20th-century#ref35668">Infectious diseases and chemotherapy</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35669"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-20th-century#ref35669">Ehrlich and arsphenamine</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35670"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-20th-century#ref35670">Sulfonamide drugs</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35671" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-20th-century#ref35671">Antibiotics</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35672"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-20th-century#ref35672">Penicillin</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35673"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-20th-century#ref35673">Antituberculous drugs</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35674"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Medicine-in-the-20th-century#ref35674">Other antibiotics</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35675"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunology">Immunology</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35676" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunology#ref35676">Antibacterial vaccination</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35677"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunology#ref35677">Typhoid</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35678"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunology#ref35678">Tetanus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35679"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunology#ref35679">Diphtheria</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35680"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunology#ref35680">BCG vaccine for tuberculosis</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35681"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunization-against-viral-diseases">Immunization against viral diseases</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35682"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunization-against-viral-diseases#ref35682">The immune response</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35683"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Immunization-against-viral-diseases#ref35683">Endocrinology</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35684"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Insulin">Insulin</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35685"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Insulin#ref35685">Cortisone</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35686"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Insulin#ref35686">Sex hormones</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35687"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Insulin#ref35687">Vitamins</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35688"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Malignant-disease">Malignant disease</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35689"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Malignant-disease#ref35689">Tropical medicine</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref35690"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Malignant-disease#ref35690">Surgery in the 20th century</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35691"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Malignant-disease#ref35691">The opening phase</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35692"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Malignant-disease#ref35692">The situation encountered</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35693" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Changes-before-World-War-I">Changes before World War I</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35694"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Changes-before-World-War-I#ref35694">Abdominal surgery</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35695"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Changes-before-World-War-I#ref35695">Neurosurgery</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref35696"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Changes-before-World-War-I#ref35696">Radiology</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35697"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Changes-before-World-War-I#ref35697">World War I</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35698"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Changes-before-World-War-I#ref35698">Between the World Wars</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35699"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/The-problem-of-shock">The problem of shock</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35700"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/The-problem-of-shock#ref35700">Anesthesia and thoracic surgery</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35701"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/World-War-II-and-after">World War II and after</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35702"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/World-War-II-and-after#ref35702">Support from other technologies</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35703"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/World-War-II-and-after#ref35703">Heart surgery</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35704"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/history-of-medicine/Organ-transplantation">Organ transplantation</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/science/history-of-medicine/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900 selected" href="/facts/history-of-medicine">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" 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