Medical advancements in American history have gone through many significant changes in the twentieth century. These advancements in surgery, medicine, and technology had a dramatic impact on our society that improved and bettered the quality of life.

America's medical history has had many changes and improvements since the beginning of its first medical practices. Early medical practices in America were very unsafe as well as ineffective. Its first hospitals were filthy and rare, mostly in urban cities, so mainly doctors operated in their own home (Surgery, Galenet). Before anesthetics, surgery was an extremely difficult task for American physicians. They performed quickly because the pain was so unbearable that most patients went into shock (Surgery, Galenet). A patient was lucky if they survived through surgery.

Early medical equipment used in America during the 1700's was hardly ever sterile. Originally, surgeons didn't clean their surgical clothing to prove that they were experienced (Yount, 10). The more soaked with blood and filth, the more skilled you were considered. If a patient survived through surgery,

they usually died soon after; the loss of blood or

germs. They tried to introduce these discoveries to American physicians but they rejected them. They didn't accept Pasteur's discovery because they didn't believe that germs existed. They found it hard to understand that such tiny organisms could cause illnesses.

Yount, Lisa. "Medical History." Facts on File. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1998.

yellow fever by improving and controlling the sanitary conditions in infected countries (American Physicians, Comptons). Yellow fever struck America quickly and harshly, until Gorgas stopped it.

Unfortunately, new and worse diseases have emerged in America. Cancer is one such agent that has dreaded the U.S. Cancer is a disease where cells reproduce abnormally and endlessly. These overcrowded cells form tumors or cyst-like developments (Abel, 71). Cancer is primarily a disease of older people, but it can strike anyone of any age. Over 500,000 Americans die from cancer each year and an estimated 30% of Americans are predicted to develop it (Abel 79). Around a million new cases of cancer are discovered each year (Abel 79). Although cancer is increasing, the survival rate is also increasing. Treatments

Medical technology has also benefited medical training for teaching doctors and students. In 1869, Charles Eliot improved medical practices by increasing the admission standards for Harvard (Yount, 69). Surgical video games are now available to train surgeons without using a real patient (Yount, 77). In the future, computer programs will be used to plan a surgeon's precise operation. Robots are already being used in surgery. They are safer, faster and

Wilber, Keith C. Revolutionary Medicine. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1980.

Leinwand, Gerald. Transplants, Today's Medical Miracles. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1992.

Insurance and Government programs have also impacted American history. Medicare is example of a United States social insurance program for the elderly and disabled. It gives them benefits and discounts on medical payments (Medical Insurance, Comptons). Medicaid is another example of U.S. federal-state programs for paying medical expenses for low-income people (Medical

"Surgery." Discovering Science. Galenet. Online. Internet. 16 Feb. 2000.

Although anesthetics were very helpful, they also had a down side: people became addicted to them (Wilbur, 48). Doctors and medical students were the main users of anesthesia. Even laughing gas and ether parties were thrown for fun. Some Americans made money by selling anesthetics to common people; some would even pay just to see others using them (Wilbur, 50).

Sherrow, Victoria. "Jonas Salk." Facts on File. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1993.

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Approximate Word count = 1883
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)