LECTURE 5LECTURE 5

Medicine the 17Medicine the 17thth centurycentury

Main medical doctrinesMain medical doctrinesThe development of The development of anatomy and physiologyanatomy and physiology

The development of The development of physiopathology and physiopathology and pathologypathology

Medicine in the Medicine in the 1717thth century century

The 17The 17thth century was called century was called the Age of the Age of Scientific RevolutionScientific Revolution and represented a and represented a major turning point in the history and major turning point in the history and science.science.

Experimentation developed and Experimentation developed and iatrochemistryiatrochemistry – the medical chemistry – the medical chemistry – was the name given to the fusion of – was the name given to the fusion of alchemy, medicine and chemistry.alchemy, medicine and chemistry.

The most important figures of that The most important figures of that time weretime were::

Jan Baptista van HelmontJan Baptista van Helmont (1577-1644) was the leading (1577-1644) was the leading iatrochemist. He advocated quantification and experiment iatrochemist. He advocated quantification and experiment and his comparison of the weight of urine with that of and his comparison of the weight of urine with that of water was the first measurement of its specific gravity. Van water was the first measurement of its specific gravity. Van Helmont was the founder of the concept of Helmont was the founder of the concept of disease as a disease as a distinct entity existing parasitically in the bodydistinct entity existing parasitically in the body. This was . This was in contradiction to the Galenic concept that disease was in contradiction to the Galenic concept that disease was part of the person and represented a derangement of part of the person and represented a derangement of humours. He also considered that fever represented a humours. He also considered that fever represented a reaction of the body to the imbalance of the humours. He reaction of the body to the imbalance of the humours. He used chemical medicines and improved on the use of used chemical medicines and improved on the use of mercury.mercury.

Franz de la BoeFranz de la Boe, called , called Franciscus SylviusFranciscus Sylvius (1614-1672) (1614-1672) used the newest discoveries in chemistry. He made the used the newest discoveries in chemistry. He made the laboratory an essential tool for the practice of medicine.laboratory an essential tool for the practice of medicine.

The rise of atomism was important to the development of The rise of atomism was important to the development of science and medicinescience and medicine

Robert BoyleRobert Boyle (1627-1691) was an important proponent of (1627-1691) was an important proponent of atomism. He demonstrated the necessity of air for life. He atomism. He demonstrated the necessity of air for life. He formulated the following law: formulated the following law: the volume of a gas varies the volume of a gas varies inversely with the pressure at a constant temperature.inversely with the pressure at a constant temperature.

Giovanni Alfonso BarelliGiovanni Alfonso Barelli (1608-1679) studied the whole (1608-1679) studied the whole body starting with a simple unit, the muscle, influenced by body starting with a simple unit, the muscle, influenced by Galileo Galilei’ s mechanical principles.Galileo Galilei’ s mechanical principles.

Giorgio BagliviGiorgio Baglivi (1669-1707) represented the extreme use of (1669-1707) represented the extreme use of iatromechanics, likening each organ to a sprcific machine.iatromechanics, likening each organ to a sprcific machine.

Santorio SantorioSantorio Santorio (1561-1636) constructed thermometers (1561-1636) constructed thermometers and is best remembered for his research into the physiology and is best remembered for his research into the physiology of metabolism.of metabolism.

William HarveyWilliam Harvey (1578-1657) proved the continuous circulation (1578-1657) proved the continuous circulation of the blood within a contained system. He gained a wide of the blood within a contained system. He gained a wide reputation and even became a court physician to King James I reputation and even became a court physician to King James I and to King Charles I. His greatest work was published at and to King Charles I. His greatest work was published at Frankfurt in 1628 Frankfurt in 1628 Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cordis et Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cordis et Sanguinis in Animalibus (Sanguinis in Animalibus (Anatomical Treatise on the Movement Anatomical Treatise on the Movement of the Heart and Blood in Animals). of the Heart and Blood in Animals).

Harvey showed that because of the valves in the heart and Harvey showed that because of the valves in the heart and the veins, blood could flow in only one direction. Seeing that the veins, blood could flow in only one direction. Seeing that both ventricles of the heart contracted and expanded together, he both ventricles of the heart contracted and expanded together, he concluded that there was no pressure difference between them concluded that there was no pressure difference between them that could drive blood through the thick septum. By experiment that could drive blood through the thick septum. By experiment of a live snake, he demonstrated the direction of flow toward the of a live snake, he demonstrated the direction of flow toward the heart in the great vein (vena cava) and away from the heart in the heart in the great vein (vena cava) and away from the heart in the main artery (aorta). main artery (aorta).

In the days of Hippocrates, the importance of body temperature was In the days of Hippocrates, the importance of body temperature was well recognized, but the physician had only his hand to evaluate it.well recognized, but the physician had only his hand to evaluate it.

In 1592 In 1592 GalileoGalileo constructed a constructed a thermometerthermometer with no scale of with no scale of measurement and was influenced by atmospheric pressure. The measurement and was influenced by atmospheric pressure. The first wide use of thermometry in clinical practice was by first wide use of thermometry in clinical practice was by Hernann Hernann BoerhaaveBoerhaave (1668 – 1738) in Holland and his students in Vienna. (1668 – 1738) in Holland and his students in Vienna.

One of the most important inventions in the development of One of the most important inventions in the development of medicine and general science was the medicine and general science was the microscope.microscope.

Malpighi Malpighi was regarded as the founder of was regarded as the founder of biological microscopybiological microscopy. . By developing techniques for preparing tissues to be examined By developing techniques for preparing tissues to be examined under the microscope he was able to make observations otherwise under the microscope he was able to make observations otherwise impossible. impossible.

Many other advances were made in understanding the Many other advances were made in understanding the anatomy and physiology of the bodyanatomy and physiology of the body::

Francis GlissonFrancis Glisson (1597-1677) described in detail the liver, (1597-1677) described in detail the liver, the stomach and the intestinesthe stomach and the intestines

Thomas WhartonThomas Wharton (1614-1673) described the (1614-1673) described the characteristics of the digestive, lymphatic and sexual characteristics of the digestive, lymphatic and sexual glandsglands

Robert HookeRobert Hooke (1635-1703) demonstrated that even (1635-1703) demonstrated that even without chest movement an animal could survive as long without chest movement an animal could survive as long as air is pumped into the lungsas air is pumped into the lungs

Richard LowerRichard Lower (1631-1691) was the first to transfuse (1631-1691) was the first to transfuse blood directlyblood directly

Thomas WillisThomas Willis (1621-1675) published (1621-1675) published De Anatome De Anatome Celebri Celebri what was a summary of the nervous system.what was a summary of the nervous system.

Thomas SydenhamThomas Sydenham (1624-1689) was the century’s most (1624-1689) was the century’s most famous clinical leader considered that each patient was a famous clinical leader considered that each patient was a unique dynamic entity in whom a disease could vary from unique dynamic entity in whom a disease could vary from person to person.person to person.

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

Scientific progress in the 17Scientific progress in the 17thth century came less from the century came less from the universities than from new public and private scientific universities than from new public and private scientific societies: societies: The Academy of the Lynx The Academy of the Lynx (Rome), (Rome), Academie des Academie des Science (Science (France)France) and and The Royal Society The Royal Society (England)(England) were were the most famous.the most famous.

A new medication appeared: A new medication appeared: cinchonacinchona, as a treatment for , as a treatment for malariamalaria

In surgery the major operations were: suture of holes in the In surgery the major operations were: suture of holes in the intestines, removal of tumors and even plastic operations intestines, removal of tumors and even plastic operations on the lip and noseon the lip and nose

The attitude towards mental illness continued to be The attitude towards mental illness continued to be ambivalentambivalent

Epidemics of plague, smallpox, scarlet fever, chicken pox Epidemics of plague, smallpox, scarlet fever, chicken pox were commonwere common

John GrauntJohn Graunt (1620-1674) was the first person to use (1620-1674) was the first person to use medical statistics that had impostant influencesmedical statistics that had impostant influences

Hospitals began to be used for medical research and Hospitals began to be used for medical research and teaching.teaching.