Medicine in Canada debatably began centuries before the French settled in the shores of North America, but because the native people passed on their traditions orally, the only written accounts of their practices and beliefs were recorded but the white explorers and settlers. Most aspects of native medicine were fundamental to a religious system. Native people treated illness with highly effective plant remedies, such as oil of wintergreen, bloodroot, high bush cranberries, as well as physical procedures such as massages. European medicine at the time of settlement was involving into a scientific discipline, even though theories and knowledge about disease developed very slowly. The use of technology in medical practise did not start until the 19th century. For a long time, the practise of medicine was based on the patient’s descriptions of symptoms and not based on hands on experience. Not until the 18th century did physicians start to use manual techniques to diagnose patients and to study dead bodies.
One of the first technologies is a Hutchinson’s device for measuring the vital capacity of the lungs. Another device discovered in the 19 century was Herisson’s sphygmomanometer for blood pressure measurement. In the first half of the 20th century, medicine was transformed with the use of medical technology. Medical technologies invented in the 20th century were the thermometer, stethoscope, microscope, ophthalmoscope, laryngoscope, and x-ray. With such medical devices, doctors were able to see and hear patient’s body such as heart and lungs. Medical technology increased the amount of data required to diagnose and treat patients. Medical records became essential document for retaining patient’s information. Technology also created a less face to face relationship between doctors and their patients.
Imaging is crucial to diagnose illness, diseases, and assess treatment. Recent techniques have been replaced with technology. CT scanning sometimes called CAT scanning is a non-invasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose treat medical conditions. CT scanning combine with special x-ray and computers to produce multiple images of the inside body. CT scans internal organs, bone, soft tissue and blood vessels providing greater view and exposes more details than normal x-ray testing’s. Such scanning makes it easy to diagnose problems such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, infection disease, trauma and musculoskeletal disorders. CAT is one of the best and fastest tools for studying the chest and abdomen and pelvis because it provides detailed view of all types of tissues. Doctors often prefer this method for diagnosing many different cancer, including lung, liver and pancreatic cancer, given that it allows physicians to confirm the presence of a tumour and the measure it size. Physicians often use the CT assessment to quickly identify injuries, to the lungs, heart and vessels, liver, spleen, kidneys, bowel or other inertial organs, measure bone mineral density for the detection of osteoporosis, plan for assess the result of surgery and properly administer radiation treatments for tumour.
Canada is a huge contributor to the medical world. A number of the world’s most proficient inventions and discoveries were made by Canadians. Medical doctors came to Canada alongside with other French settlers. David Parker, who worked in Halifax in the 18th century, was the first to operate with anestheia. At the same time W.R Beaumont became a prolific inventor of surgical interments. In the 20th century, Canada was presented with some of the world vest scientists. The two major contributions to the medical world were done during the 20th century. First, the improvement of anesthesia by W.E brown in 1923 and Dr. Harold Griffith in 1942. Dr. Harold advanced the science of anesthesia by utilizing the curare plant. Secondly, the discovery that recovery rates of patients could be significantly improved if the wounds were disinfected.
Insulin was a great discovery done by Frederick Banting in Canada. Sir Frederick Grant Banting was a Canadian medical scientist, doctor and Nobel Laureate not as one of the co discoverers of insulin. In 1922 Banting and John James Rickard Macleod received the noble prize in Medicine. The discovery did not only help us learn about new hormone that effect the metabolism in the body, but also helped develop vaccines and medicine for diabetes patients, whose bodies failed to control insulin levels.
Theses major contributions to the medical world lead us to where we are at the moment. The advanced technology allows us to understand the human body in detail. With the technology we have today we are able to gain knowledge of the digestive, circulatory and respiratory system in detail. Because of the new technology we have, doctors are able to visually see the problem and learn about the situation of the patients with detail, which allows them to successfully cure their patient. In the future more and more machines will be invented to cure illness, which cannot be cured at the moment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROQlHtjSuaU
SOURCES
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=bodyct http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005203. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=bodyct http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Banting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_(Canada)
http://www.canadacaremedical.com/