Cause of disease advancements: c1900-present

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  • Created by: lottie__s
  • Created on: 31-05-18 10:14

Cause of disease advancements: c1900-present

Similarities

  • Ideas about bacteria stayed the same: theories developed by Pasteur and Koch did not change very much and this was the main knowledge relied on about cause
  • Ideas about transmission of infectious diseases the same: similar advice about cleaning etc. was still given by government throughout this period

Differences

  • Genetics were understood better: Garrod's theory that disease was caused by missing chemical pathways was understood and proved by Beadle and Tatum - diseases were then understood to have internal causes, not just external
  • Franklin, Watson and Crick discovering DNA and the double helix: lead the way to the human genome project: causes of cystic fibrosis, Down's syndrome, haemophilia, BRCA1 mutation all indentified as specific genes
  • Advances in diagnosis technology: made it easier to understand specific complex injuries: eg. MRI scanners and CT scanners made it easier to map parts of the brain to specific functions, meaning it was easier to understand how specific diseases and injury caused specific problems
  • Diagnosis technology like endoscopes, ultrasound and X-rays made it easier to see problems inside a living body: improved understanding of body's interaction with illness
  • Lifestyle causual factors established: smoking causing lung cancer, obesity causing type ii diabetes, diet imbalances causing problems such as heart disease and cancer

Overall comparison

Ideas about cause changed dramatically due to a greater understanding of a variety of things causing illness: not just microorganisms. Genetics research was revolutionary in this area as previously unexplained diseases could be attributed to a particular cause. However, this did not result in many new treatments or preventative measures as genetic therapy was/is very difficult, and secondly genetics is not fully understood with problems such as the idea of 'dark DNA' not resolved. However, genetics opens up the possibility of using stem cells to treat diseases in the future.The understanding of lifestyle factors changed ideas about prevention as this paved the way for government health campaigns and dietary advice.The use of new technologies improved ideas about cause perhaps the most significantly. For complex trauma such as brain injuries, new advancements such as MRI scanners and CT scanners enabled doctors 

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