Ancient Medicine & Modern First Aid

History of Medicine

Today, when we have a bad cold or fever, we can go to the doctor and get a prescription for some kind of medicine. But what did people do hundreds of years ago? They couldn't go to the chemist and they couldn't take an aspirin. What could they do?

Ancient Egyptians had a very effective system of medicine. It was very advanced for its time. The Egyptians introduced the concepts of diagnosis and medical examination. They also performed the first surgery around 2750 BC.

The famous Greek physician Hippocrates used herbs in his treatments. But what medicine could ancient people take when they had a headache, a cold, or a stomach ache? Herbal medicine.

Herbal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare. Primitive men observed the great diversity of plants around them and discovered they could use them for health problems. Gradually, different tribes all over the world developed the basis of scientific medicine today. Indeed, many of the medicines we take today are of herbal origin.

For example, in the past, people used the herb echinacea for toothaches and infections. And archaeologists discovered the remains of a Stone Age man with marshmallow root around him. According to herbal medicine today, we can use marshmallow root when we have a sore throat.

Nowadays, about 25% of the medicines consumed contain one active ingredient from plant material.

First Aid

This section presents a dialogue about first aid procedures, particularly in outdoor or remote settings.

Dialogue: First Aid in the Mountains

• Monica: Jessie, is this your only job?
• Jessie: No, actually, I'm an electrician, but in my free time I'm a volunteer for the rescue service.
• Monica: What are the most common problems here?
• Jessie: A very common problem is exhaustion. If someone in the group looks really tired, you should all rest. You should always carry enough high-energy food, like chocolate. Another typical problem is that climbers fall and break a leg or an arm.
• Monica: What should we do in those cases? Should we bring them down to a shelter?
• Jessie: No, you mustn't move them. You shouldn't waste any time. You should call for help. All climbers should carry their mobile phones and they should use them immediately! Sometimes, there is no signal on the mountains. In that case, a member of the group should come down and inform the rescue team.
• Monica: Who should they contact?
• Jessie: 999. They should speak to the police at once. While they wait, they should try to keep the person warm. That is absolutely necessary. Sometimes the weather conditions don't help and the rescue team takes longer. In that case, they should give the patient a pill for his pain.
• Monica: And what about minor things like insect bites?
• Jessie: Climbers do not usually call us about insect bites, but sometimes insects can cause an allergic reaction or an infection. Initially, they can use some cold water and an antiseptic, but if the patient has a fever, they should come down and contact a doctor. It may be serious.