Herbal Medicine History Essay

The History of Medicine
Over the course of century’s there has been major historic changes and advancements in medicine and the way we are able to cure aliments today. Did you know that Herbal medicine was one of the first treatments? It is one of the earliest scientific practices and is still in use today. Over the years we have evolved with the study of medicine to even going as far as being able to replicate organs and limbs now, From the Stone Age area with Herbal treatments to the Egyptians use of leeches. The Greeks believed in snakes to help cure and treat people. India and china also used Herbal treatments and other learning tools in their advancements. You will see how things have change we have progressed and come to save more and more lives with the use of medicine today. Throughout this paper, you will see some uses over the years.
STONE AGE
We have learn over the years that Stone Age people were not
an advanced species, but while living off the plants and land they made the discovery of which plants being safe to eat could also cure ailments and sickness some of these still used in modern medicine today. Snakeroot plant was a tonic used for calming of patients and is until used to this day for reduced blood pressure.
INDIA AND CHINA
India is another country who believed in the strength of herbal treatments they used extracts of Foxglove for swollen legs from dropsy, which came from excessive fluid causing weakness heart.
India had advancements with having first nurses to help treat patients with more discoveries and extensive use of drugs including common one we know today as anesthesia known as a huge contribution to healing process they believed. Studies of the Hindus early documents show that even know their anatomy teachings were limited they used over 120 surgical instruments in the advancement in medicine. China was right next store was also following along in these advancements with a few more of their own, with their highly developed centers of medical training. Their strong beliefs in spiritual illness changed over the years as they came in to more medical technology reasons for illness. In 3000BC, an Emperor known as (father of Chinese medicine) studied books on and came to believe in herbal medicine and still use to this day such as acupuncture, oils, and
massage.

EGYPT
Over the years, we have learned that the Egyptians had many medical advancements in their era from preserving body’s and organs to bloodletting with leeches. They use hieroglyphics to document their teaching of medicine. Unlike the Stone Age era Egyptians were better educated and could read and write to document all they had learned and had a system for mathematics to help with surgical procedures. Egyptians physicians were priests who had studied in the great temple medical schools. They believed the body’s blood flow like a canal like the Great Nile so when a patient’s blood did not flow correctly or healthy they would do a procedure of bloodletting to cure them. Bloodletting consist of attaching leeches to a PT and having them suck out the illness. Leeches used to remove the blood and disease while also creating Hirudin, which would help to prevent coagulation. This treatment lasted through the 19th century and in special circumstances used today. They used acupuncture as a treatment for exorcism of demons, which like many other cultures believed caused illness. Now days we use acupuncture for many reasons like pain and tension relief of muscles and back pain.
GREECE
Greece played a large part in development of medicine beginning in 2000BC as they invaded new lands and acquired knowledge of those lands and what they had to offer while still practicing their own traditions and beliefs made advancements of their own in medicine. The priests in the temple of Asclepius used massage, bathing and exercise in treat patient with aches and illnesses. They believed if a person was ill they would purify the in a bath, Pt would make an offering to the god and after putting them in a drug induced sleep would have snakes lick the wounds while the god Asclepius would apply ointment to cure the wounds or illness. The Greeks believed in the large yellow snakes carried magical powers of healing.
NEW AGE
Many of the medicines that the Greeks, Egyptians, China and India used are still in use today along with new developments of our own throughout the centuries. We have created new vaccines to cure viruses like Chickenpox, Tb, medicines to help slow down diseases like HIV, Cancer and even advanced surgical procedures to cure heart issues and save people from losing limbs. We continue to advance in everyday medicine like ultrasounds prenatal care more and more people are getting a chance to live longer lives and get great treatment. We have advanced in diabetes care and testing with great advancement in medical coverage to help with advancing technology.