NEW HORIZONS IN MODERN MEDICINE

Abstract

Science and Technology have revolutionalised the life style of man. Increased standards of living has brought great comfort to mankind. Modern medicine with its scientific attitude in research has been able to unravel many mysteries within a short period of about 100 years, which were out of reach for mankind over generations. The remarkable research in the early part of this century was the discovery of germs in the causation of several diseases. There were several diseases killing mankind through epidemics and pandemics. I recollect my grandmother's description of an outbreak of plague in the city. People were asked to move out of the house instantaneously with minimal luggage to remote villages as soon as they saw a rat falling dead in the house. The corporation lorries were busy clearing away the human corpses to be burnt as quickly as possible—the only answer they knew to deal with the epidemics of plague. Outbreak of cholera and typhoid took a toll of 2 or 3 persons from each house. The pandemics of Influenza killed men so fast that there were not enough people to nurse the sick.