- By the start of the 20th century, scientists had started to realise that not all diseases were caused by germs: Babies were being born with conditions. This could not happen in the womb so it must have happened somewhere else.
- In the first half of the 20th century, scientists learnt more about DNA: Mendel realised that genes must come in pairs (one from your mother, the other from your father'. He called this the 'fundamental laws of inheritance.
- Rosalind Franklin was the first to produce an X-ray version of DNA: We now knew what it looked like.
- In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the DNA molecular structure: This is known as the double helix. They famously walked into a bar and said 'we have discovered the secret of life'. What had they achieved by doing this?
- Knowing about DNA has helped us to discover HERIDITARY DISEASES. These are caused by mutations in our genes. Cystic fibrosis is an example of a hereditary disease. CHALLENGE- Can you find out someone you know with a hereditary disease? It is very common.
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie was told that she had an 85 percent chance of getting breast cancer due to her genes. She therefore had them removed to prevent tissue damage happening.
The human genome project: 1990-2003.
Scientists are always trying to find out more about hereditary diseases by studying our DNA. They came together to find the entire 3 billion letter code of someone's DNA- yes we all have that much DNA! It tool 13 years for the project to conclude..
The project told us a lot about our genetic make up. Sadly, although we can find hereditary diseases, we still lack understanding of how to prevent or treat these diseases. DISTURBING FACT: Of the 30000 known diseases, we still only have treatment for 1/4 of them.
Scientists can technically genetically engineer children to avoid 'bad' genes but many people have problems with the ethics of this.
The project told us a lot about our genetic make up. Sadly, although we can find hereditary diseases, we still lack understanding of how to prevent or treat these diseases. DISTURBING FACT: Of the 30000 known diseases, we still only have treatment for 1/4 of them.
Scientists can technically genetically engineer children to avoid 'bad' genes but many people have problems with the ethics of this.
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It hardly takes a rocket scientist to realise that the way you live life can lead to you having health problems. However, this has only really been taken seriously since the 20th century. There are essentially 4 things that can lead to major diseases:
1. SMOKING: Smoking causes many health concerns and is the biggest cause of preventable disease. There are estimated to be around 320000 smokers in Northern Ireland currently. The biggest problem is to do with heart and lungs. Smokers can also develop throat and mouth cancer. Smokers are even prone to premature aging.
2. DIET: How much you eat and what you eat is very important. The recommended calorie intake for women is 2200, for men it is 2500. Sadly, many people prefer to eat processed foods from big chains like KFC, as opposed to nutritious food. A good diet should contain a balance of protein, carbs, fats, vitamins. We should also eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. TASK: Look up how much sugar is in your favourite soft drink. I don't think you will like the answer!
3. TANNING: Most of us enjoy a nice tan in the summer, but we must be careful too. Bad sunburn can lead to skin cancer. Again, premature aging can be a problem here. It is worrying that men and women are increasingly interested in getting sunbeds. This high exposure of UV light is terrible for our bodies.
4. EXERCISE: Always in partnership with diet, exercise has many health benefits. Exercising helps make the body mentally and physically well. It is a good thing to try exercise at least 3 times a week. Playing a sport is a fantastic way to do this.
1. SMOKING: Smoking causes many health concerns and is the biggest cause of preventable disease. There are estimated to be around 320000 smokers in Northern Ireland currently. The biggest problem is to do with heart and lungs. Smokers can also develop throat and mouth cancer. Smokers are even prone to premature aging.
2. DIET: How much you eat and what you eat is very important. The recommended calorie intake for women is 2200, for men it is 2500. Sadly, many people prefer to eat processed foods from big chains like KFC, as opposed to nutritious food. A good diet should contain a balance of protein, carbs, fats, vitamins. We should also eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. TASK: Look up how much sugar is in your favourite soft drink. I don't think you will like the answer!
3. TANNING: Most of us enjoy a nice tan in the summer, but we must be careful too. Bad sunburn can lead to skin cancer. Again, premature aging can be a problem here. It is worrying that men and women are increasingly interested in getting sunbeds. This high exposure of UV light is terrible for our bodies.
4. EXERCISE: Always in partnership with diet, exercise has many health benefits. Exercising helps make the body mentally and physically well. It is a good thing to try exercise at least 3 times a week. Playing a sport is a fantastic way to do this.
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UK GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGNS AND LAWS
The government is now very proactive in its approach to preventing lifestyle diseases. This contrasts with medieval governments, who felt that public health was beneath them!
There are basically two ways they can help. The first is state-sponsored health campaigns, the second is by legislation.
1. CAMPAIGNS: Probably the most successful campaign over the last decade is change4life, which is run by the NHS. This campaign aims to reduce sugar intake considerably. They offer alternatives to the food our families eat. They also provide information on the healthiness of various foods and what our diet should consist of: It is suggested that everyone over the age of 11 should limit themselves to 7 sugar cubes worth.
Check out the change4life website: You may find out some useful information. The link is just below. This section.
Governments also make adverts to promote healthy eating and others to warn against the dangers of drinking and smoking. Some of them are available below. Some campaigns aim to restrict alcohol intake like 'dry January'. 'Stoptober' is a campaign to stop smoking for a month.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver also made a big effort to push healthy food for school lunches. I remember being angry about losing my canteen desserts, but I can be thankful for what he did in the long run!
2. LAWS: Many cities in the UK have far too many cars which leads to smog which damages our lungs. The government has therefore introduced the Clean air acts in 1956 and then 1968. These have sought to reduce the traffic and even ban cars which are not eco-friendly.
Another big move was the law banning smoking inside public buildings in 2007. Previously, people could smoke in restaurants, cinemas and even airplanes! The second hand smoke damages everyone around.
We have also introduced sugar laws and we tax every litre of soft drinks 18p: This is the sugar tax. The United States are much too lax with their sugar laws which is part of the reason there is so much obesity.
There are basically two ways they can help. The first is state-sponsored health campaigns, the second is by legislation.
1. CAMPAIGNS: Probably the most successful campaign over the last decade is change4life, which is run by the NHS. This campaign aims to reduce sugar intake considerably. They offer alternatives to the food our families eat. They also provide information on the healthiness of various foods and what our diet should consist of: It is suggested that everyone over the age of 11 should limit themselves to 7 sugar cubes worth.
Check out the change4life website: You may find out some useful information. The link is just below. This section.
Governments also make adverts to promote healthy eating and others to warn against the dangers of drinking and smoking. Some of them are available below. Some campaigns aim to restrict alcohol intake like 'dry January'. 'Stoptober' is a campaign to stop smoking for a month.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver also made a big effort to push healthy food for school lunches. I remember being angry about losing my canteen desserts, but I can be thankful for what he did in the long run!
2. LAWS: Many cities in the UK have far too many cars which leads to smog which damages our lungs. The government has therefore introduced the Clean air acts in 1956 and then 1968. These have sought to reduce the traffic and even ban cars which are not eco-friendly.
Another big move was the law banning smoking inside public buildings in 2007. Previously, people could smoke in restaurants, cinemas and even airplanes! The second hand smoke damages everyone around.
We have also introduced sugar laws and we tax every litre of soft drinks 18p: This is the sugar tax. The United States are much too lax with their sugar laws which is part of the reason there is so much obesity.
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PREVENTION THROUGH VACCINES
Certainly more relevant than ever, the government will try to encourage as many people as possible to get vaccinated. In Northern Ireland, we have already vaccinated 1.35 million people (9th May 2021). Vaccines are very important in prevention. This involves taking a small dose of the disease (which has been weakened) and injecting it into our bodies.
They mean that we will either avoid the disease entirely, or else have a strong enough immune system to fight whatever disease enters our bodies. This is because our white blood cells will have seen the disease before and know how to deal with it.
DEBATE WITH YOUR FAMILY: Ask your family whether they think vaccines should be made compulsory by law. What are the pros and cons of this?
They mean that we will either avoid the disease entirely, or else have a strong enough immune system to fight whatever disease enters our bodies. This is because our white blood cells will have seen the disease before and know how to deal with it.
DEBATE WITH YOUR FAMILY: Ask your family whether they think vaccines should be made compulsory by law. What are the pros and cons of this?
Improvements in diagnosis
Diagnosis today involves taking into account all the features of the patient, especially their medical history. We then can do blood tests, scans and other diagnostic tests to find out the symptoms. This seriously differs to medieval times: Checking which humour was out of order by examining urine! We can be thankful that medical knowledge and medical technology has evolved rapidly throughout the 20th century.
That being said, it is estimated that 11 million people in America each year are given an incorrect diagnosis: So we are still not in a position to take anything for granted! Below is a slideshow of all the big discoveries.
That being said, it is estimated that 11 million people in America each year are given an incorrect diagnosis: So we are still not in a position to take anything for granted! Below is a slideshow of all the big discoveries.
In 1929, a Scottish doctor called Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic. This was called penicillin. Antibiotics are incredibly helpful to us even today.
ROLE: Their job is to slow down and stop the growth of bacteria. We can use them for infections pretty much anywhere in our body. They can help relieve a toothache or even a stomach bug.
PROBLEM: More recently, there has been the rise of SUPERBUGS. These are basically diseases which have evolved and have found ways to be completely immune to the effect of antibiotics. This basically means we have no treatment whatsoever for these superbugs such as MRSA which killed 20000 in the USA in 2017. Alexander Fleming actually warned about this in nobel peace prize speech!
Scientists are still trying to strengthen and find new antibiotics, so hopefully we will be able to surpass this problem. Doctors generally warn that we should only use antibiotics when we really need them. Otherwise, superbugs will get too used to them.
ROLE: Their job is to slow down and stop the growth of bacteria. We can use them for infections pretty much anywhere in our body. They can help relieve a toothache or even a stomach bug.
PROBLEM: More recently, there has been the rise of SUPERBUGS. These are basically diseases which have evolved and have found ways to be completely immune to the effect of antibiotics. This basically means we have no treatment whatsoever for these superbugs such as MRSA which killed 20000 in the USA in 2017. Alexander Fleming actually warned about this in nobel peace prize speech!
Scientists are still trying to strengthen and find new antibiotics, so hopefully we will be able to surpass this problem. Doctors generally warn that we should only use antibiotics when we really need them. Otherwise, superbugs will get too used to them.
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MODERN MEDICINE HEROES
Do some research on one of the following. These are famous medical pioneers from the 20th century: What are they famous for and why are they so important?
MARIE CURIE. ALEXANDER FLEMING. JAMES WATSON & FRANCIS CRICK. JOSEPH LISTER. HAROLD GILLIES.
MARIE CURIE. ALEXANDER FLEMING. JAMES WATSON & FRANCIS CRICK. JOSEPH LISTER. HAROLD GILLIES.
