History of medicine

History of medicine
Records of physicians treating the sick stretch back more than 4,500 years. However, for most of this time doctors had little knowledge, and relied mainly on superstition and herbal cures.
Medical science as we know it began 300 years ago, when a flowering of knowledge helped doctors understand, how the body works, later, innovation, such as immunization, helped cure its ills. Today medical advances save more lives than ever before, but it can be expensive – and many of the world’s poorest people cannot afford it.
Ancient Greece and Rome
Greek doctors learned surgery by treating war wounds, but blamed the gods for any failures. Ancient Romans improved public health with clean water supplies and sewer systems.
Asclepius and Hygieia
The Greek god of medicine, Asclepius, may have actually been a real physician 3,200 years ago. The Romans worshipped both him, and his daughter Hygieia, whose name gives us the word “hygiene”.
Hippocrates
Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370BC) separated medicine from magic. This treatment included diets, purgatives, baths, and fresh air. He was one of the first to realize that a poor environment can cause bad health. Today, trainee doctors still pledge their dedication to patient by repeating an oath once said to be written by Hippocrates.