Modern medicine

• Gregor Mendel researched inheritance using beans in 1860's. There were technological advances such as the electron microscope, because of this, a combination of scientists at Cambridge uni, Watson and crick, and Rosalind Franklyn who took image of DNA. Funding was from Government and industry. 1986-2001, human Genome project mapped whole human Genome, teams in 18 countries helped.
• Benefits of understanding DNA are many illnesses have genetic diseases, such as some types of cancer, down syndrome, diabetes and CF. Human Genome showed which genes responsible for each disease, potential edits could be made to prevent diseases in the future. Only a cause so little treatment.
• Surgery improved, No pathogens at all, steam sterilised equipment, scrubs, Face masks. X-rays made surgery more accurate - keyhole surgery. Improve anaesthetics that could injected rather than inhaled (dosage), local anaesthetics, sodium citrate.
• Alexander Fleming Discovered an antibiotic - penicillin. Previous antiseptics couldn't kill staphylococci bacteria so WW1 soldiers dies. Penicillin mould produced this. He wrote of his discoveries in a journal - he had not actually used it.
• Mass production of aspirin, British factories began mass production from willow. Working flat out to produce for WW2.
• Florey and Chain realised the potential of penicillin and went to the UK government for funding + then to the USA. Worked with mice then tried on a person, did not have enough penicillin so he died. This still proved useful for the future
• Magic bullets: first one was Salvarsan 606, killed syphilis. Paul Ehrlick and his assistant Dr Hata in 1909, severe limitations because it was toxic and had to be injected. First chemical cure for killing bacteria. Then Domagk found prontosil was effective against bacterial infections in mice - then cured his own daughter of blood poisoning. Later discovered by Pneumonia and scarlet fever in 30s/40s.
• 1942 suggestion of a creation of a national health service (NHS) and national insurance. 1948 - creation of NHS. Allowed for increased life expectancy and, new equipment for hospitals and specialised care improved. Some doctors didn't like - earned less.
• Polio - respiratory issues and were placed in iron lungs. Microbe was identified in 1946, vaccine developed in 1954. Demand slow until '59 when a famous football died of polio. People scared and got vaccinated.
• 1992 Government introduced 'health of the nation' plan to improve healthcare. 'Sugar tax' increase price of items with high sugar content. Food standards increased, 5 a day, anti-smoking campaigns. Reflects back to medieval times.
• Lung cancer diagnosis - difficult to diagnose in its early stage, symptoms can be confused with other respiratory illnesses. Mostly caused by smoking cigarettes or passive smoking. In early 1900's, people diagnosed live for a year after.
• Lung cancer treatment - surgery used and with lung transplants. Radiotherapy aims to kill lung cancer with radiation, side effects. Chemo, kill cancer with chemical medicines, usually when other methods failed as it destructive. Immunotherapy strengthens bodies immune system - stopping cancer cells from resisting.
• Lung cancer prevention - Government and NHS campaigns, Banning of advertising cigarettes and not making them visible in shops. Images and warning on packaging. Smoking banned in public areas. Investing in new technology for lung cancer, easier to treat in early stages.