History of Medicine (United States): Difference between revisions
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=Healing arts of the indigenous peoples= | ==Healing arts of the indigenous peoples== | ||
=European immigrants and African captives bring traditions from different cultures= | ==European immigrants and African captives bring traditions from different cultures== | ||
=Medicine as a profession in the USA= | ==Medicine as a profession in the USA== | ||
==Before the American Revolution== | ===Before the American Revolution=== | ||
Since the human population of North America was sparse, and had been separated from the crowded European, African, and Asian peoples for many generations, there was a fundamental difference in the human infectious diseases present in the indigenous peoples and that of immigrants. Some viruses, like small pox, have only human hosts and appeared to have never occurred on the North American continent before mass immigrations of the 16th and 17th centuries. This not only meant that the indigenous people lacked genetic resistance to such new infections, and suffered overwhelming mortality when exposed, but-in the port cities, especially, even the immigrant population was subject to epidemic illness when ships arrived carrying ill passengers. Since the wealth of the port was dependent on the docking of ships, but the life of the inhabitants was dependant on quarrentine of sick pasengers, there was strong financial support of public health in cities like New York. | Since the human population of North America was sparse, and had been separated from the crowded European, African, and Asian peoples for many generations, there was a fundamental difference in the human infectious diseases present in the indigenous peoples and that of immigrants. Some viruses, like small pox, have only human hosts and appeared to have never occurred on the North American continent before mass immigrations of the 16th and 17th centuries. This not only meant that the indigenous people lacked genetic resistance to such new infections, and suffered overwhelming mortality when exposed, but-in the port cities, especially, even the immigrant population was subject to epidemic illness when ships arrived carrying ill passengers. Since the wealth of the port was dependent on the docking of ships, but the life of the inhabitants was dependant on quarrentine of sick pasengers, there was strong financial support of public health in cities like New York. | ||
Revision as of 11:05, 8 March 2007
The history of American Medicine has been relatively short, as compared to European Medicine, but has had a global impact. Although this article is about the development of the professional practice and education of physicians in the United States, it includes some background on the popular traditions of healing arts by both the Native Americans and the early European and African immigrants, whose remedies, in part, became incorporated into medical practice.
Healing arts of the indigenous peoples
European immigrants and African captives bring traditions from different cultures
Medicine as a profession in the USA
Before the American Revolution
Since the human population of North America was sparse, and had been separated from the crowded European, African, and Asian peoples for many generations, there was a fundamental difference in the human infectious diseases present in the indigenous peoples and that of immigrants. Some viruses, like small pox, have only human hosts and appeared to have never occurred on the North American continent before mass immigrations of the 16th and 17th centuries. This not only meant that the indigenous people lacked genetic resistance to such new infections, and suffered overwhelming mortality when exposed, but-in the port cities, especially, even the immigrant population was subject to epidemic illness when ships arrived carrying ill passengers. Since the wealth of the port was dependent on the docking of ships, but the life of the inhabitants was dependant on quarrentine of sick pasengers, there was strong financial support of public health in cities like New York.