Spring 2012 Medical Lessons from History Student-Authored Notes

Spring 2012 "Medical Lessons from History" Student-Authored Notes

“Pharmacopoeia” (Thomas, p 158) “an authoritative book containing a list of drugs and medical products together with the standards established under law for their production, dispensation, use, etc.” (Webster’s NewWorld Dictionary, page 1012). Thomas used this term in his writing to say that modern medicine started before the time sulfonamides and penicillin were introduce in the book for drugs. --Brenda Guillaume

“Natural History” (Thomas page 160) “A work dealing with the properties of natural objects, plants, or animals; a systematic account based on observation rather than experiment. Now chiefly in the titles of books dealing with the wildlife of a particular region or the biology of particular organisms.”(Oxford Dictionary [Online] paragraph 1). My interpretation of natural history is that there was more harm done than good. That’s it’s better to let your body heal on its own without the help of medicine. -Michelle Ferreira

“Michel de Montaigne” (Thomas, Lewis 160) in full Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (born February 28, 1533, Château de Montaigne, near Bordeaux, France—died September 23,1592, Château de Montaigne), French writer whose Essais () established a new literary form. In his Essays he wrote one of the most captivating and intimate selfportraits ever given, on a par with Augustine’s and Rousseau’s (Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 01 Mar. 2012). Thomas references Montaigne to provide a proper example of a philosopher who was a Skeptic. --Christopher Rud

“Skepticism” (Thomas, Lewis 160) also spelled scepticism, in Western philosophy, the attitude of doubting knowledge claims set forth in various areas. Skeptics have challenged the adequacy or reliability of these claims by asking what principles they are based upon or what they actually establish. They have questioned whether some such claims really are, as alleged, indubitable or necessarily true, and they have challenged the purported rational grounds of accepted assumptions. In everyday life, practically everyone is skeptical about some knowledge claims; but philosophical skeptics have doubted the possibility of any knowledge beyond that of the contents of directly felt experience. The original Greek meaning of skeptikos was “an inquirer,” someone who was unsatisfied and still looking for truth (Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 01 Mar. 2012). Thomas identifies this philosophical outlook as being requisite for questioning archaic medical practices as they were occurring. He is making the point that most people did not question existing medical knowledge. --Christopher Rud

Delirium tremens (Thomas p. 160) - A species of delirium induced by excessive indulgence in alcoholic liquors, and characterized by trembling and various delusions of the senses (Oxford English Dictionary). Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol. --Josefina Fernandez

“Patent Medicine” (Thomas, Lewis 161) a packaged nonprescription drug which is protected by a trademark and whose contents are incompletely disclosed; also any drug that is a proprietary (Merriam-Webster Online). Thomas is making a historical reference to a portion of history when medicines were unregulated. Specifically, Thomas may be referring to a period in American history when such medicines often contained addictive and/or harmful ingredients. On a contemporary note, a market of such medicines still exists today in the form of the health supplement market. --Christopher Rud

“Pathogenic organisms” (Thomas, p 162) “pathogenic-producing disease, organism-any individual, animal or plant having diverse organs and parts that function together as a whole to maintain life and its activities.” (Webster’s NewWorld Dictionary, p 9n90,954[1]). Thomas used it this term so he can talk about tubercle bacillus and syphilis spirochete which are bacteria which produced disease. --Brenda Guillaume

“Dedifferentiation” (Thomas page 166)”The loss or reversal of differentiation.” (Oxford Dictionary [Online] paragraph 1). I understand when he uses the term dedifferentiation when it comes to cells. Since there weren’t enough resources there were a lot of unanswered questions. But now since we’ve advanced tremendously there is room to work on those unanswered questions. -Michelle Ferreira

“Public Health” (Thomas, Lewis p. 170) “The health of the population as a whole, esp. as monitored, regulated, and promoted by the state (by provision of sanitation, vaccination, etc.). Also: the branch of medicine dealing with this (including hygiene, epidemiology, prevention of infectious diseases, etc.)” (Oxford English Dictionary: The definitiv e record of the English language. [Online]) Thomas used the term in his interdisciplinary writing to depict that Publ ic health comprised data has shown drastic improvement compared to “early years of this century” (p. 170) Althou gh the expense of biomedical research never cease, yet the significant improvement concerning the health and wel l-being of humanity and its environment can be recognized by the efforts of “sanitary engineering, better housing, a nd, probably, more affluence, but a substantial part is also attributable, in recent years, to biomedical science” (p.17 0). --Georgia Lennon

Morbidity (Thomas p.170) -The condition or state of being diseased, or being caused by disease; physical or mental illness. Also (Med.): illness, injury, or incapacity complicating a therapeutic procedure, drug administration, etc.; the frequency or degree of this (Oxford English Dictionary). How often different diseases occur. --Josefina Fernandez

“Ionosphere” (Thomas, Lewis 171) the part of the earth's atmosphere in which ionization of atmospheric gases affects the propagation of radio waves, which extends from about 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the exosphere, and which is contiguous with the upper portion of the mesosphere and the thermosphere; also a comparable region of charged particles surrounding another celestial body (as Venus)(Merriam-Webster Online). Thomas uses ionosphere (meteorology) as a metaphor to describe something that rises to atmospheric (very high!) heights. --Christopher Rud

“Chemistry” (Thomas, Lewis p. 172) “The branch of science concerned with the substances of which matter is composed, the investigation of their properties and reactions, and the use of such reactions to form new substances” (Oxford English Dictionary: The definitive record of the English language. [Online]) Thomas used the term in his interdisciplinary writing to show us that although the discovery of chemistry was initiated by Sir Isaac Newton, it then branched off into several different disciplines such as “quantum mechanics and contemporary geo- physics and cosmology” (p. 173). Likewise, biology these discoveries that was initiated by scientists are our legacy to build on because there are more information that needs to be unveiled. --Georgia Lennon

“Quantum Mechanic” (Thomas page 172) “The mathematical description of the motion and interaction of (esp. atomic and subatomic) particles that was developed from the old quantum theory and incorporate the concept of wave – particle duality, the uncertainty principle and the correspondence principle, the branch of physics concerned with this.”(Oxford Dictionary [Online] paragraph 1). The context, in which Thomas used Quantum Mechanics, is a higher degree of understanding of math and physics combined together. For math and physics to be combined would give a better explanation to unanswered questions. In the pharmaceutical field in order to make a pill to control cholesterol researchers would need to use formulas in order to make the pill. -Michelle Ferreira

“Nutrition” (Thomas, Lewis p. 173) “The branch of science that deals with nutrition and nutrients, esp. in humans; t he study of food and diet” (Oxford English Dictionary: The definitive record of the English language. [Online]) Tho mas used the term nutrition as one of the area that inflates the expense of health care. Thomas suggested that whe n “therapeutic measures can be directed straight at the underlying disease mechanism and are decisively effective, the cost is likely to be very low indeed” (p. 173) For instance, the more people become aware of eating right and exercising regularly will have a significant impact on many underlying diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart diseases, kidney problems etc. In addition, the enhancement of biological science will broaden the horizon of huma n health and people will become more knowledgeable about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. --Georgia Lennon

Cosmology (Thomas p.173) - The science or theory of the universe as an ordered whole, and of the general laws which govern it. Also, a particular account or system of the universe and its laws (Oxford English Dictionary). Study of the science of the universe. --Josefina Fernandez

“Congress” (Thomas, p 174) “the legislature of the U.S., consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.” (Webster’s NewWorld Dictionary, p 294[7 a]). In his writing Thomas refers to the legislature of the U.S. (Congress) as one of the group which will not lose anything if they were to invest in biological science. --Brenda Guillaume