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The earliest known human beings often learned by trial and error to distinguish between what was good or what was bad for them to consume or touch. Early man often linked disease and unexpected accidents to magical spirits that would punish individuals when made angry.
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The earliest discovered usage of bathrooms and drains were located in India. Minoans and the Mycenaean also had drainage systems, toilets, and water flushing systems.
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The Smith Papyri are the oldest written documents related to healthcare that have been found. The describe various surgical techniques.
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Earliest written record concerning public health is the Code of Hammurabi.
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The Hebrews built off of the Egyptian hygienic thought and created what is thought to be the worlds first hygienic code.
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The Greek culture was the first to put as much emphasis on the prevention of disease as they did on the treatment of disease.
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Hippocrates developed a theory of disease causation consistent with the philosophy of nature held by leading philosophers of his day.
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The Roman empire built an extensive an efficient aqueduct system.
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The Middle Ages was a time of political and social unrest that severely effected the state of health of the common people. Christians came to believe that the body is the soul's earthly dwelling, permitting better care of it. Christians also reinforced the beleif that disease was caused by disobeying God. Advancments of health related benefits discovered by the Greco-Roman era were abandoned and shunned, many libraries were burned and destroyed.
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Leprosy was a disease characterized by severe facial and extremity disfigurement, it was highly contagious and virulent. All of the Western countries banned anyone suspected of having leprosy.
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The bubonic plague could be the most the most severe epidemic the world has ever known to this day. The number of deaths caused by this epidemic beats any war, famine, or natural disaster .
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The Renaissance was a period and health and medical advancements. Much surgery and dentistry was performed by barbers because they had the best chairs and sharpest instruments available.
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Massachusetts Bay Colony enacted regulations to prevent pollution of Boston Harbor.
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The 1700s had many breakthroughs in common health and hygiene. The general beleif was that disease was formed in filth and that epidemics were caused by some type of poison that developed in the putrefaction process.
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Dr. James Lind, of the Royal Navy, discovered that scurvy (seas sickness) can be controlled on long sea voyages by having sailors consume lime juice.
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The federal government started a public health service.
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Edwin Chadwick published his "Report on an Inquiry into the Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population of Great Britain". In this report, the deplorable living conditions of Britain's laboring class were documented and there was a strong case made that the conditions were the cause of much disease and suffering.
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John Snow studied epidemiology, he hypothesized that disease was caused by microorganisms in the drinking water from one particular pump located on Broad street. He removed the handle to the pump to keep people from using it and the epidemic abated.
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Lemuel Shattuck wrote the "Report of the Sanitary Commission of Massachusetts", it contained insights about the public health issues of Massachusetts.
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Louis Pasteur of France proposed his germ theory of disease.
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Joseph Lister, English surgeon developed the antiseptic method of treating wounds by using carbolic acid.
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The National Association for the study and prevention of Tuberculosis was established.
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The Public Health Education Section of the APHA was founded.