⚕️

History of Medicine

60 cards · 🇺🇸 English

Milestones in medicine, from ancient healing to modern breakthroughs.

medicine-history

Study all 60 cards for free

Flashcards, quizzes, pixel-art games and a daily review that remembers for you.

Study this deck free

Try the first 10 cards

1 / 10
Question

What is the Hippocratic Oath?

Knew itLearning

Tap the card for the answer · swipe right if you knew it, left if not

Already have an account? Sign in

Cards

  1. 1What is the Hippocratic Oath?
    One of the most famous aspects of classical medicine - an oath for physicians invented by Hippocrates and his followers, still influencing modern medical oaths
  2. 2What was humorism (humoralism)?
    A medical theory dominant until the 19th century that explained disease as caused by an imbalance of four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile
  3. 3What replaced humorism in medical understanding?
    The germ theory of disease, which led to effective treatments and cures for many infectious diseases
  4. 4What medicinal plant has been found in Upper Palaeolithic caves?
    Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), indicating prehistoric use of medicinal plants
  5. 5When did early humans first use stone tools?
    Approximately 3.3 million years ago
  6. 6What evidence of dental care dates to c. 11,900 BCE?
    Primitive dental care found at Riparo Fredian in present-day Italy
  7. 7What did Ötzi the Iceman (c. 3230 BC) carry as medicine?
    A 'prehistoric medical kit' including birch polypore fungus (antibiotic/vermifuge), poppy seeds (analgesic), sloe berries, and sphagnum moss (antiseptic)
  8. 8Which civilization developed one of the earliest writing systems in the 3rd millennium BCE?
    The Sumerians, who created cuneiform clay tablets documenting drug prescriptions and operations
  9. 9Who wrote the Diagnostic Handbook in the 11th century BCE?
    Esagil-kin-apli of Borsippa, a Babylonian chief scholar (ummânū)
  10. 10What did the Babylonian Diagnostic Handbook focus on?
    Diagnosis, prognosis, physical examination, and remedies, with detailed empirical observations and logical rules
  11. 11What ancient Egyptian papyrus is the oldest surviving medical text?
    The Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus, dating to 1800 BCE
  12. 12What is the Edwin Smith Papyrus known for?
    An ancient surgery textbook (c. 1600 BCE) almost devoid of magical thinking, describing examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in detail
  13. 13What does the Edwin Smith Papyrus contain the earliest reference to?
    The brain (written in the 17th century BCE)
  14. 14Who is the earliest known physician?
    Hesy-Ra, 'Chief of Dentists and Physicians' for King Djoser in ancient Egypt (27th century BCE)
  15. 15Who was the earliest known woman physician?
    Peseshet, who practiced in Ancient Egypt during the 4th dynasty with the title 'Lady Overseer of the Lady Physicians'
  16. 16Who is sometimes credited as the founder of ancient Egyptian medicine?
    Imhotep in the 3rd dynasty, considered the original author of the Edwin Smith Papyrus
  17. 17What are 'Houses of Life' in ancient Egypt?
    Medical institutions established as early as 2200 BCE
  18. 18What is the foundational text of Chinese medicine?
    The Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), written between the 5th and 3rd century BCE
  19. 19Who wrote the Treatise on Cold Damage near the end of the 2nd century CE?
    Zhang Zhongjing, a Chinese physician and pharmacologist during the Han dynasty
  20. 20What are the main forms of traditional Chinese medicine?
    Herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, and moxibustion
  21. 21What is the Atharvaveda?
    A sacred Hindu text from c. 1200–900 BCE, one of the first Indian texts dealing with medicine, containing charms, spells, and herbal remedies
  22. 22What does Ayurveda mean?
    'Complete knowledge for long life' - an Indian medical system
  23. 23Who are the two schools associated with Ayurveda's most famous texts?
    Charaka and Sushruta
  24. 24What procedures does the Sushruta Samhita describe?
    Various surgical procedures including rhinoplasty, repair of torn ear lobes, perineal lithotomy, and cataract surgery
  25. 25How many surgical instruments did Sushruta describe?
    More than 125 surgical instruments in detail
  26. 26What are the eight branches of Ayurvedic medicine?
    Internal medicine, surgery, ENT diseases, pediatrics/obstetrics/gynaecology, psychiatry, toxicology, rejuvenation science, and fertility/aphrodisiacs
  27. 27Who is credited with the theory of humors?
    Greek philosopher and surgeon Galen of Pergamon (129 – c. 216 CE), though it was derived from earlier ancient medical works
  28. 28What are the four humors in Greek medicine?
    Blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile
  29. 29Which humor is associated with autumn?
    Black bile
  30. 30Which humor is associated with spring?
    Blood

And 30 more cards. Study the whole deck free

Articles about this deck

More History decks

See all
Study all 60 cards free