Doctors and scientists have been studying illness and disease for centuries. Over time, incredible discoveries have made it possible to save millions of lives. Medical advances have led to people living healthier, longer lives. Take a look at the best medical advances in history.
Vaccines
Vaccines began in 1796 when Edward Jenner used them to combat smallpox. The vaccines were so effective that people began to study them and create new ones. Vaccines have been made to eradicate deadly diseases such as smallpox, and they fight cholera, rabies, tuberculosis, and more.
Doctors continue studying vaccines and learning about better, more effective technology for delivery. In fact, the first two mRNA vaccines were developed in just months to fight COVID.
Anesthesia
Before anesthesia existed, surgeries were rare and people often chose death over the pain they would endure. In 1846, William T.G. Morton used ether as an anesthetic during surgery. After that time, chloroform became widely used. Anesthesia has developed and is safe and effective today, allowing millions of surgeries and operations that save people’s lives.
Germ Theory
People used to believe that disease appeared spontaneously, and then in 1861, a French microbiologist named Louis Pasteur proved that diseases came from microscopic organisms called pathogens. This discovery revolutionized the approach to illness and how it could be controlled or prevented.
The X-Ray
X-rays were the first form of medical imaging. It was invented by mistake in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen, a German physicist. He was experimenting with electrical currents and passing them through glass cathode-ray tubes.
Ultrasound became commonly used in 1955, and it uses sound waves to create a digital image. This made it possible to learn more about embryonic development and other issues. In 1967, the CT scanner was invented, and it has revolutionized diagnosis in medicine. The MRI came in 1973, and it creates detailed images of the inside of the body.
All of the components of medical imaging have made it possible to diagnose and treat people and save lives. It all started with the X-ray, and there are many different methods of medical imaging today.