History of Microbiology
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Life in a Time Before Microbiology
Illness and disease were thought to have a supernatural cause. Many people thought it was due to the wrath of God or evil spirits. The possibility of illness and disease being linked to unseen organisms was postulated, but not widely believed until the invention of the microscope and a series of experiments in the 17th century.
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Miasmatic Theory |
Galen of Pergamon 129 AD – 200 AD was a pioneer in the fields of medicine, anatomy and philosophy. Galen' Galen created the Miasmatic Theory that postulates that disease is caused by "bad air" or "mal’aria", known as “miasmatic odors.” It was thought that these miasmatic odors arose from decaying organic matter and was the cause of diseases like cholera, chlamydia and the Bubonic Plague.
Although incorrect, the Miasmatic Theory spurred the developed of better sanitation and hygiene practices. Aqueducts were built that brought in fresh water. Sewers were built that carried away waste and sewage. This practice protected the Romans from many waterborne diseases.
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Hippocrates 460 - 370 BC
Hippocrates was a Greek philosopher that lived 460–370 BC. He is considered the “father of Western Medicine”. Hippocrates believed that illness and disease were caused by an imbalance among four vital "humors" within us. The idea was that if a person had either too much or too little of one of the humors, the result was illness or disease.
The 4 Vital Humors According to Hippocrates:
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Hippocrates also authored many of the oldest known medical books and is said to have written the Hippocratic Oath that physicians still take today. The main theme of the Hippocratic Oath is to provide medical care without bias and to do no harm.
The Hippocratic Oath is also known as the Physician's Oath. It is the oath that each physician takes before becoming a medical practitioner. It is an oath to uphold ethical standards, to refrain from judgement or bias and to "do no harm". Below is a wonderful 2-minute clip of the modern version of the Hippocratic oath portrayed in "Grey's Anatomy".