History of medicine

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The History of Medicine

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History of medicine timeline

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The first 3,000 years of our study fall in
the prehistoric period. 'Prehistory'
means before writing, which means we
have to rely on other sources for
information about health and medicine.
People at this time believed illness was caused by spirits.
Charms were used to ward off sickness.
Plant materials were among the treatments for diseases in
prehistoric cultures.
Earths and clays may have provided prehistoric peoples with
some of their first medicines.
The prehistoric period – 3000 BC to 43

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The ancient world
Although these ancient civilizations produced the world’s first
doctors and reasoned medical theories, most ideas about
the causes and treatment of diseases were based on
superstition.
In Britain, for most of this period, their was no medical
progress. It was only when the Romans came that there was
any investment in medicine.
During the prehistoric period
there was progress in other
parts of the world – particularly
the Egyptian, Greek and
Roman civilizations.

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The Middle Ages saw some medical progress,
including the setting up of universities, and
some regress (decline), due partly to the end of
the Roman Empire, when much of the
knowledge of the ancient civilizations was lost.
In the Middle Ages the church controlled those who
were allowed to practise medicine and new ideas
were not encouraged.
Life expectancy was just 36 years for women and
37 for men, compared to 38 and 40 years for those
living in the Greek and Roman civilizations.
The Middle Ages – AD 500 to 1400
37 36*

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The Medical Renaissance – 1400 to 1750
Renaissance means ‘rebirth’. The Renaissance
period in Europe saw a rebirth of the learning
and knowledge lost from the Classical period
(Greek and Roman civilizations).
This was a time when many new discoveries were
made about the human body, some of which over-
turned ideas that had been around for more than a
thousand years.
Despite these new developments, health hardly
improved as many doctors were suspicious of new
ideas, and there was still no knowledge of what caused
disease.
Life expectancy for women increased by about two
years, and for men four years.
41 38*

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The Industrial Revolution – 1750 to 1900
It was during the Industrial Revolution period
that the causes of disease were discovered,
and scientists and doctors could then use their
knowledge of ‘germs’ to begin to find cures.
Preventing illness was also important and the invention of
vaccinations began to eliminate certain killer diseases such
as smallpox.
Public Health Acts were passed which helped improve
conditions in towns. The discovery of antiseptics and
anaesthetics improved surgical techniques.
These improvements led to a greater life
expectancy, but poor living and working
conditions prevented any further progress.
45 49*

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The 20th century
In the 20th century more progress was made
in improving medicine and health than in the
previous 5,000 years.
The causes of most diseases were discovered in the 20th
century, and by the year 2000 the vast majority of illnesses
could be prevented or cured.
Shorter working hours, better housing, the
introduction of a free National Health
Service and better diets all led to far higher
life expectancy than ever before. 72 78*