Great health innovations that have changed our world
We talk so often about the many great industrial revolutions that we have seen throughout history. However, we so rarely talk about some of the great health revolutions that we have also seen. These have helped to shape our lives today, and they deserve celebrating just as much. Let’s take a look at three truly great health revolutions that have truly changed the world.
Vaccines
For a very long time, we seemed to have no immunity to certain illnesses. There were several diseases and illnesses that could be deadly if caught, and our understanding of medicine was not good enough to fight it completely.
This continued until 1796, when British doctor Edward Jenner noticed that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox were then immune to the then deadly disease smallpox. From this, he was able to push cowpox as a natural vaccine, and others began to be developed to target others. By 1977, smallpox became completely eradicated worldwide thanks to the efforts of the World Health Organisation. This then makes smallpox the only human disease to so far be completely eradicated, and we have since developed many other vaccines to help keep us healthy.
Corneal Blindness
Blindness is life-changing for many people, especially corneal blindness. This can be caused by an eye trauma or a bacterial infection, and it can prevent people from earning a living or even continuing to live their lives in the same way they have before.
However, a corneal transport can reverse this blindness. Entrepreneurs like Tej Kohli are putting a lot of time and effort into setting up charities and organisations to help fight this. There are also growing causes for organ donors to include corneas in their wishes. This allows even more procedures to take place, and it also means that we could see this form of blindness eradicated much faster than we can imagine.
Medical Imaging
Another big advancement we have made has been medical imaging. Once upon a time, the only way to see inside a body was to cut it open. While advancements were made to make this particular procedure easier and less life-threatening, it still did not give us much idea about what happens in a body.
X-ray was accidentally invented (as all the best discoveries are) in 1895 by a German physicist called Wilhelm Conrad Rӧntgen. However, this was just the start. Ultrasound was first used for medical purposes in 1955, with a CT scan following in 1967. Finally, Paul Lauterbur developed magnetic resonance imaging, otherwise known as an MRI. These devices have all given us some amazing insight into what goes on inside our bodies, and it lets our doctors know exactly what is happening inside our bodies.
These are just three of the most incredible medical advancements we have made over the years. We have gone from the body being a mystery, to knowing plenty about what happens within us, and there is still so much yet to learn. Who knows what the next major advancement could be?