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Chapter 1
Reflections of the
Past
Who Am I?
I was created at the end of the Renaissance,
Watched pirates rule the oceans,
As Ivan the Terrible ruled Russia,
And witnessed the arrest of Galileo,
For believing the earth revolved around the sun.
I AM HISTORY
Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books,
history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled,
thought and speculation at a standstill. I think that
there is nothing, not even crime, more opposed to
poetry, to philosophy, ay, to life itself than this
incessant business.
—Henry David Thoreau, Author, Poet, Philosopher (1817–1862)
History is relevant to understanding the Past,
defining the Present, and
influencing the Future.
History, despite its wrenching pain,
cannot be unlived,
but if faced with courage,
need not be lived again.
—Maya Angelou
Learning Objectives
Explain how societal conflicts due to politics, religion,
and warfare have both impeded the growth of hospitals
and contributed to their progress.
Describe how advances in medicine led to the rise of the
modern-day hospital and improved the quality of
patient care.
Describe how advances in medicine over the centuries
have sometimes been ignored by later practitioners and
continue to serve as reminders of the need to understand
and build upon best practices.
Hindu and Egyptian Hospitals
6th century BC: Buddha appointed a
physician for every 10 villages.
Hospitals were built for the crippled and
the poor.
Provided fresh fruits and vegetables
Administered medications
Provided massages
Maintained rules of personal cleanliness
Hindu Physicians
Took daily baths
Kept hair and nails short
Wore white clothes
Respected confidence of patients
Egyptian Medicine
Used castor oil and opium
Used wooden mallet for anesthesia
Surgery was mostly limited to fractures
Medical care took place in the home
Temples functioned as hospitals
Greek and Roman Hospitals
The word hospital derives from the Latin word hospitalist.
Relates to guests and their treatment
Early use of hospitals.
Not merely places of healing, but havens for the poor and for
weary travelers
Medical practice rife with mysticism
Greek and Roman Hospitals (cont’d)
Temples were used as hospitals.
Hospitals first appeared in Greece as Aesculapia.
Named after Greek god of medicine
Patients presented gifts before the altar.
Greek temples were a refuge for the sick.
Practiced holistic medicine: body and soul.
Greek and Roman Hospitals (cont’d)
Medications: salt, honey, sacred springs.
Hot and cold baths.
