The History of Medicine
The history of medicine dates back to the time when homo sapiens gained cognitive abilities that resemble that of the modern man. Although there is no existing record indicating the origin of medicine, scientists and historians make use of the only available historical remains and artifacts to construct the history of medicine. As time went by, substantive historical data has been created that details how medicine was practiced and how it’s being practiced today. this knowledge has been vital in helping researchers study medicine and draw conclusions that help pave the way for the future of medicine in the coming decades.
Among the earliest records of medicine mentions Imhotep, one of the first known physicians based in Egypt. Most historical books refer to Imhotep as the father of medicine. Egyptians were among the first to record text about treating injuries and wounds using an assortment of herbal medicine. Another important historical record of medicine was found in India in sacred writing called the Vedas. The book contained very detailed practices of treating diseases, though they also included charms and magic in their treatment procedure. Other pioneering countries in medicine include the ancient china that recorded medical text such as the neijing and Huangdi which are still held in high esteem to date. Greece is another important country as much as the history of medicine is concerned (Nutton, 2012). Hippocrates, a widely recognized Greek physician in his time and even today gave the field of medicine the Hippocratic Oath of medicine which is in use up until today. Greeks are recognized for their efforts in advancing medicine. History refers recognizes Greece as the country that marked the turning point from medieval practices of medicine to the modern practices of medicine. They shunned the primitive practices of magic in medicine that was popular among their predecessors. Galen, who made an immense contribution to the field of medicine was a Greek whose contribution to physiology and anatomy is still referred up to date (Elgood, 2010).
Synthetic drugs are chemically produced drugs that are manufactured in the laboratory either for legal medical purposes or illegal purposes. Legal synthetic drugs have been in use for decades and have proven their effectiveness in preventing, curing and treating life-threatening conditions such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol among others. although synthetic drugs are used for valid medical purposes, their use can be diverted for illegal purposes. Their manufacturers aim to mimic the effects of natural illicit drugs like marijuana. The illicit use of synthetic drugs was first reported in U.S November 2008, according to U.S customs and border patrol unit, these drugs originated from overseas. The use of these drugs immensely spread in the U.S due to the misconception among the general public that these drugs are less toxic and hence natural (Unschuld, 2010). Besides, their ability to circumvent the rigorous tests that drugs are required to be taken through for certification purposes makes it easy for the drugs to be accessed. An example of these drugs is synthetic marijuana and Bath salt. These drugs landed into American Market as experimental drugs done by chemists for legal purposes but accidentally started being used for illegal purposes. Identifying them can be difficult due to the availability of illegal chemicals that facilitate the manufacture of synthetic medicine. By the time the law enforcement firms are catching up with illegal drugs, the manufacturers of synthetic drugs are always ahead with new chemical combinations.
References
Nutton, V. (2012). Ancient medicine. Routledge.
Unschuld, P. U. (2010). Medicine in China: A history of ideas (Vol. 13). Univ of California Press.
Elgood, C. (2010). A Medical History of Persia and the Eastern Caliphate: from the earliest times until the year AD 1932. Cambridge University Press.