History and Sociology of Medicine
The topic of medicine has a huge historical significance on the modern day practice of medicine. The evolution of healthcare spans along three past theories that try to explain and validate the causes of disease in the human body, namely, the humoral theory, the anatomical, and the germ theory concept of disease These theories have played a vital role in the development of new medical insights that have risen from the acknowledgment of evolutionary medicine and its significance in improving human health. The steps taken towards using new medical concepts are owed to the progressive growth among all these theories which aimed to address the complex diseases within distinct human bodies.
The Humoral Concept
The Humoral Concept defines the health condition of the human body for a particular individual as an entity that solely depends on the interplay of four ‘humors’, which in this context means ‘fluid’. The historical perceptions on medicine related to Humoral theory originally started in the early times of 430 and 330 BC with its roots connected to the Hippocrates. The concept argues that the human has four properties which are yellow bile, black bile (also known as melancholy), phlegm and blood. All these components are responsible for the proper balance of the human health, one of which if affected results in humoral imbalance. Today, the perceived humoral imbalance controls the type of drug that one is given following physician analysis of the patient.
Anatomical Concept
The theory behind anatomical perspectives of disease states that human anatomy and pathology can be used to identify diseases within the human body. The anatomy concept aims to connect and determine diseases by using physical external symptoms that can be identified as a result of the effects of the disease. Research and findings presented by Morgagni provided evidence that revealed the practical absolute requisite for basing analysis, prediction, and treatment of a particular health condition using concise and inclusive medical information of anatomical illnesses.
Germ Theory
The germ theory of disease mentions that numerous diseases are brought about by small and very tiny microorganisms. These organisms have the capability to attack the animals, humans, as well as other living hosts (Morris, 2016). Their subsequent reproduction and growth are what results in a disease. The germ theory has been useful in the development of medical microbiology. It contributed towards the extensive research in the 19th century, which included the detection of microorganisms (Cabrera-Perez, Badovinac & Griffith, 2017). The germ theory introduced a new era of bacteriology which ensued following research conducted on the quick identification of diseases and the actual microorganisms that cause them.
The relevance of these three theories in the modern day is that they change the ideologies and concepts that physicians used in defining human health. The humoral theory advances the thoughts of the modern human healthcare, which is beneficial for interpretation of disease, as opposed to prior notions that sicknesses had a religious basis (Morgagni, 1903). The germ theory has been a focal reference point used …
