Transcript A Short History of Medicine, continued

Medicinal Plants:
Merging Science and Folklore
P. Carr-Gumm, The Druid Plant Oracle
Medicinal Plants:
Merging Science and Folklore
P. Carr-Gumm, The Druid Plant Oracle
Purpose:
 to identify plants believed to have medicinal properties
 to test extracts of these plants for their ability to prevent growth of
bacteria and yeast
A Short History of Medicine
<2000 B.C.E. "Here, eat this root."
cookit.e2bn.org
Neanderthals used herbal medicines 60-80,000 years ago
wholeblossoms.com
chestofbooks.com
An early herbal success story:
Willow Bark
A Short History of Medicine, continued
>2000 B.C.E. “Here, eat this root.”
1000 A.D.
“That root is pagan nonsense. Here, say this prayer.”
1500 A.D.
“That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.”
mentalfloss.com
medievalists.net
Another early herbal success story:
Cinchona Bark
Quinine
livingorganisms-joshua.blogspot.com
A Short History of Medicine, continued
<2000 B.C.E. “Here, eat this root.”
1000 A.D.
“That root is pagan nonsense. Here, say this prayer.”
1500 A.D.
“That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.”
1900 A.D.
“That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.”
sportingcollectibles.com
Yet another early herbal success story:
Foxglove
Digitalis
A Short History of Medicine, continued
<2000 B.C.E. “Here, eat this root.”
1000 A.D.
“That root is pagan nonsense. Here, say this prayer.”
1500 A.D.
“That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.”
1900 A.D.
“That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.”
1945 A.D.
“That pill is ineffective. Here, take this penicillin.”
Penicillin attacks the bacterial cell wall
Penicillin attacks the bacterial cell wall
Penicillin
Penicillin attacks the bacterial cell wall
X
X
Origin of Antibiotic Resistance
1. Bacterium has a mutant cell wall that Penicillin can’t bind
Penicillin resistant bacterium
Origin of Antibiotic Resistance
1. Bacterium has a mutant cell wall that Penicillin can’t bind
2. Bacterium produce a compound that destroys Penicillin
Penicillin resistant bacterium
Why should we take all our antibiotics?
[a simulation]
Least resistant
Somewhat resistant
Highly resistant
Step 1. Roll the die.
Remove 5 chips, starting with the least resistant
Do nothing
Step 2. Add one chip for each color left in your pile.
Step 3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2.
A Short History of Medicine, final
<2000 B.C.E. “Here, eat this root.”
1000 A.D.
“That root is pagan nonsense. Here, say this prayer.”
1500 A.D.
“That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.”
1900 A.D.
“That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.”
1945 A.D.
“That pill is ineffective. Here, take this penicillin.”
1955 A.D.
“Oops. . . Bugs fight back. Here, take this tetracycline.”
1960-2000 A.D. “More ‘oops.’ Here, take this more potent drug.”
2025 A.D.
“Bugs have won! Here, eat this root.”
Author unknown