Then & Now:
…disease & technology through the ages
Part I
This presentation contains a ✔CheckPoint test.
• Please clear your desk except for one sheet of
paper and a pencil or pen.
• Throughout the presentation there will be
“checkpoint questions” on slides to test what you
just learned.
• You will write the answers on your paper.
• You may not take notes during the presentation as
this is an exercise in active listening.
• You may not confer with classmates during the
presentation.
continue 
• A red dot (  ) following CheckPoint questions
indicates that a short answer is needed.
• A green arrow (  ) following questions
indicates that the questions are multiple choice.
• At the end of the multiple choice selections, there
will be a red punctuation point (  ) indicating
there are no other answer choices.
The journey
begins . . .
Long before humans were on earth,
there was disease
This prehistoric bear claw reveals
arthritis on distal phalanges
Bony lipping at
interphalangeal
joints indicates
arthritis
Animals often retreated to caves
to die & that is where many bony
remains were found.
Arthritic bones were so common
that archeologists began to refer to
prehistoric arthritis as cave gout
Prehistoric Neanderthal Man
•Excavation & reconstruction of
skeletal remains revealed:
a stooped, rounded-shouldered,
skeleton with curved spine & bent
knees.
Early speculation by anthropologists:
AH-HA!!!
A gorilla-type man…
THE MISSING LINK!
Scientists now think Neanderthal Man’s
stooped stature to be that of a man with
osteoporosis & advanced arthritis.
Primitive people were superstitious
& believed illness was caused by
• invasion of evil spirits
• supernatural forces
CheckPoint
©
1. What existed long before humans
were on earth? 
a. Java bear
b. disease
c. evil spirits
d. herpes .
CheckPoint cont.
2. Prehistoric arthritis was so common
that archeologists referred to it as: 
a. bear fever
b. bony calluses
c. cave gout
d. field fasciitis .
CheckPoint cont.
3. Early speculation of Neanderthal
man’s skeletal remains was that he: 
a. had arthritis
b. had a broken back
c. was an aberrant primate
d. was the “missing link” .
Disease &
PREHISTORIC MAN
Archeological evidence revealed prehistoric
man suffered from:
•
•
•
•
tuberculosis & parasite infestations
under calcified bones (osteoporosis)
caries (decayed teeth)
eroded teeth from pyorrhea (discharge
of pus from inflamed gums)
• skeletal fractures
Health Issues for
PREHISTORIC WOMEN
Archeological evidence revealed prehistoric
woman had much shorter lifespan than men.
• Most common reason for early death:
– difficult childbirth
• Also had weakened immune systems
– birthing & nursing children
– best food for men & boys since they would
be leaders, hunters, & warriors
Therapeutic techniques used by
ancient healers/shaman
• praying
• chanting
• hallucinogenic trances
Ancient medicinal tools of the trade:
• facial & body paints
– to scare away evil spirits
• wood splints for injuries
• casts from hardened hide
for fractures
• bone needles to sew
lacerations
(used strips of animal tendon as thread)
CheckPoint
4. The most common reason women
had a shorter life span than men
was that they…? 
a. were killed while gathering
food
b. didn’t eat as well as men
c. died in childbirth.
CheckPoint cont.
5. Archeological evidence revealed that
ancients had osteoporosis. 
a. True
b. False .
6. Name one way that primitive people
treated wounds.
Prehistoric medicinal herbs
Treatment for failing heart
Foxglove Plant
Drug: digitalis
-strengthens & slows
heart
Treatment that stops bleeding &
acts as disinfectant
Birch Fungus
-a laxative when
ingested
blue-grey.blogspot.com
Treatment of toothaches & oral
infections
Peek-a-boo plant
-also known as the
“toothache plant”
Chewed leaves or flower head which
numbs tongue & mouth
Treatment for malaria
Bark of Cinchona
(sin-kO-nah) tree
Drug: Quinine
-used for malaria’s fever
& muscle spasms
Treatment for relief of severe pain
Opium poppy
Drug: Morphine
-highly addictive
Treatment for spastic colon, gastric
ulcers, and slow heart rate
Belladonna Plant
(Deadly Nightshade plant)
Drug: Atropine
ancient women used it to
dilate eyes—thought it
made them look beautiful
CheckPoint
7. Birch fungus was used to: 
(Mark all that apply.)
a. scare away evil spirits
b. disinfect a wound
c. stop bleeding
d. thin blood .
CheckPoint cont.
MATCHING:
8. Strengthens & slows heartbeat a. quinine
9. Numbs oral lesions or tooth
pain
10. Used to treat bradycardia &
dilate eyes
b. digitalis
c. belladonna
11. Treatment for malaria
d. peek-a-boo
plant
12. Treatment for severe pain .
e. morphine .
Examples of good
medicine!
Frightening or cajoling evil spirits out of
its victim
–(then casting offending spirit to vermin
or cockroach & stomping on it)
Trepanation (drilling hole in head)
-to treat headaches and odd behavior
treatment was thought to “release evil spirits”
Sucking & vomiting
– “doctor” blew tobacco smoke over patient
– then gulp in large amounts of smoke until
he/she became nauseated
– began sucking on patient’s chest (to remove
evil spirit)
– vomit to purge evil, then bury vomit
Besides healing, shamans were also
responsible for warding off
• All potential catastrophes
–bad weather
–unyielding crops
–unsuccessful hunts
–enemy warriors
CheckPoint
13. Briefly describe the practice used to
treat headaches / peculiar behavior. .
14. Other than the treatment above, give
an example of “good medicine”.
Medicine & Primary Ancient
Societies
The Egyptians
3150 BC
• 1st to keep accurate written health
records
Ancient Egyptians practiced:
•bloodletting
•monthly purging
•making prosthetic
devices
•embalming
Prosthetic, wood & leather “great toe” found
on foot of Egyptian mummy
Surgeons in ancient Egypt were both priests
& doctors, blending ritual with medicine
Preparing for surgery
Ancient India
3300 BC
• Detected diabetes by smelling &
tasting urine (for sweetness)
• Practiced surgical
procedures such as:
–hernia repairs
–amputations
–C-sections
–cosmetic surgery
to nose, earlobes,
& harelips
Drawing of plastic surgery-flap to replace nose
CheckPoint
15. Name one medical practice of
Ancient Egyptians.
16. How did Ancient Indians check for
diabetes?.
17. Name one surgical procedure used
by the Ancient Indians.
Ancient China
15 Century BC
• Illness still seen as violation of a god.
• Male doctors didn’t directly examine
women.
–used ivory dolls
–women would use doll & point to
“problem” area
• Also used acupuncture to treat ailments
Idea behind acupuncture - stimulating energy points
with needles/pressure relieved obstructions
enabling body to heal.
• Ancient Chinese used variety herbs
were to treat diseases
Ancient Chinese Herb Pharmacy
Ginseng – reduces stress
Rhubarb – body strength
Licorice – muscle spasms
Ginger – treats diarrhea
Peony – regulates blood
Salvia – relieves pain of
inflammation
Many Chinese herbs were
prepared as teas
CheckPoint
18. How did Ancient Chinese doctors
diagnose women?.
19. Which of the following practices was
commonly used in Ancient China? 
a. water therapy
b. acupuncture
c. feverfew herb extract
d. sucking & vomiting .
CheckPoint cont.
20. Name one herb used by the Ancient
Chinese.
The journey
continues . . .
-The End-