Promotion of the Progress of Medicine by the Deep Study of Air - Essay Example

PROMOTION OF THE PROGRESS OF MEDICINE BY THE DEEP STUDY OF AIR Sur March 19, Introduction Air plays a significant role insupport of life on the Earth. For most of the planet’s inhabitants it is vital, and their lives are impossible without air components which participate in processes inside live organisms. The deep study of air made many important and considerable discoveries possible. The physicians’ works in studying of air and its properties gave a big impulse on medicine development. The purpose of this paper is to consider these discoveries and research how they have affected medicine progress. This is possible through studying such matters: a brief overview of air studies, physicians’ efforts in this sphere, and modern air studies and medicine. A brief overview of history of air studies. Absence of air properties and features in usual sense (color, odor, weight, visibility) preconditioned large studies conducted on it. Air was a point of concern and big interest since the time of the Ancient Greece, when Empedocles and Aristotle, whose thought corresponds to the modern idea of a gas, came up with their ideas about air.1 Later on, when van Helmont introduced the concept “gas”, air was studied from the point of view of gas chemistry. This led to start of series of experiments on air nature. In the XVII century, Robert Boyle was one of the first who conducted experiments on gases and combustion. He was the first scientist who collected gas in a vessel and noted that hydrogen was highly flammable.2 The phlogiston theory, originated in the XVIII century, developed rapidly and became dominant in visions of air of that time. Georg Stahl was the first to use the word “phlogiston” which was a subtle material present in substances and could be detected only when it left them. Phlogiston existed in the form of fire, according to the scientific views of the scientists of that age.3 One of the most significant discoveries of the XVIII century in the field of air study was Joseph Black’s experimental proof that air is a mixture of gases. Priestley’s experiments prepared discovery of Oxygen, and though he supported the phlogiston theory, results of his experiments helped to deny it. Henry Cavendish made another step forward in this field by discovering Hydrogen which he called as “inflammable gas”, and, as he also supported phlogiston theory, believed that he discovered phlogiston itself. In 1774, Priestley discovered Oxygen, which meant the end of the phlogiston period in pneumatic chemistry.4 Antoine Lavoisier proposed the term “Oxygen” and proposed Oxygen theory instead of the phlogiston theory and raised doubts in it – he claimed that phlogiston was designed by the chemists to fit their thoughts.5 Physicians’ Efforts in the Field of Air Study By this time, medicine developed rapidly, and opening of aerobic organisms, including aerobic bacteria, led to suggestion that, as air contents Oxygen, these bacteria can be present in air and penetrate the live organisms with breathing air. In his Theory of Fermentation, Louis Pasteur stated and proved that bacteria cause the process of fermentation and formulated his fermentation diseases theory. He admitted that if there was no access of air to the nutritious broth under experiment previously multiple times pasteurized fermentation did not start.6 Pasteur is famous primarily for his invention of pasteurization – heating of foods and beverages to high temperatures to preserve their qualities and to eliminate germs. This phenomenon helped prevent food intoxications as it became possible to keep the foods unspoiled for longer time without emergence of germs in them. Joseph Lister, the founder of antiseptic surgery, made a revolution with his discovery of aseptic and antiseptic materials. He was the first to apply antiseptic treatment of surgery instruments and wounds, which resulted in decrease of number of cases with post-surgery infections and complications. Harmful organisms and germs are present in the air, as it was mentioned above, and they can get inside an open wound or body cut while conducting surgery activity, and Lister’s discovery helped to prevent negative effects caused. The results of his discoveries formulated necessity to conduct all the surgery activity in sterile rooms with constant airing and air treatment.7 Air does not only contain harmful bacteria, but it also can transmit these bacteria from an ill person to a healthy one. As a result of this new class of diseases was discovered: the air-borne diseases. The bacteria causing these diseases are usually transferred from the ill while coughing, as drops of liquids expose from mouth and can reach the others. While these diseases are commonly not frequent, there are periods of time, especially in winter when the cold temperature causes inflammations of breathe organs and due to this bacteria have the best conditions for life, when there is the highest level of danger to be exposed to these diseases. This demonstrated the demand to elaborate complex of measures to avoid infecting: to wear masks in public in the periods of epidemics or seasonal diseases, to wash hands frequently, to avoid hands shaking, as well as other physical contact, with the ill persons, not to use the things of the infected, such as dishes, clothes, linen, towels, to prevent diseases by taking vitamins and medicines for preventive purposes. Air can also transfer other gases due to its chemical properties: the gases which are easier than gas rise up in the air. This phenomenon was used by the German army for military purposes when they applied a special gas – chlorine – as a poisonous substance against their enemy. Military medicine encountered this phenomenon and its effects for the first time, and cure and prevention measures had to be developed. This resulted in emergence of anti-gas masks, clothes and equipment to prevent chemical burns. 8 Modern Studies of Air and Medicine Nowadays reports on air quality, precisely on its deterioration, are becoming more frequent. Air pollution because of significant growth of new production sites and use of new technologies, or use of the cheaper means of production – Chinese focus on coal as the low-cost energy source, lead to decrease of volume of Oxygen in the Earth atmosphere and increase of harmful carbon dioxide part. Air pollutants, moreover, emit to the atmosphere harmful substances which cause serious diseases of breathing organs, as they are the first to subject this negative influence, and of the entire organism, as they reach blood system and spoil the blood and deposit in organs. This leads to such complicate and heavy diseases as asthma, COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, lung cancer, heart diseases. According to the NRDC, National Resources Defense Council, a non-profit international environmental advocacy group in New York, New York’s asthma is a chronic disease of airways influenced by car emissions.9 The organization also states that the common triggers of asthma are ground level ozone, sulfur dioxide, fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxide. The CDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, distinguishes one more cause of asthma – environmental or tobacco smoke. “The CDC suggests that parents, friends and relatives of children with asthma should attempt to quit smoking and should never smoke in proximity to a child or person with asthma, as this could cause an asthma attack.”10 COPD is defined as a disease when airways and air sacs become distended and lose their shape. The common COPDs are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. ALA, American Lung Association, states that long-term exposure to air pollution increase lower lung function of women, and persons working as truck drivers, dock- and railroad workers are more likely to die of lung cancer, COPD and heart diseases as they are exposed to diesel emissions while on the job. “The ALA also notes that even low levels of ozone and fine particulate matter increase a person’s risk of hospitalization for pneumonia and COPD.” 11 Lung cancer is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in lungs. The abnormal cells can develop into tumors and prevent the lung fro supporting the blood with Oxygen. C. Arden-Pope III states that long-term exposure to combustion-generated fine particulate matter increase risks of lung cancer mortality.12 These researches of air pollution and harmful substances it contains have led to emergence of effective treatment of the air pollution caused diseases. At Heartlands Hospital, a brand-new idea for curing asthma was presented. “The innovative treatment, called bronchial thermoplasty, involves opening patients’ troublesome airways by applying heat directly to them, which eases their breathing and reduces the likelihood of an asthma attack.”13 This breakthrough in comparison with the traditional treatment methods has no analogies so far.   The same demand was covered with introduction of new way of lung cancer treatment. Dr. Brahmer States: “In the past, immunotherapy has not really found its niche in lung cancer. I think that at least now we have a hint of activity, and activity that is sustained. Compared with patients who are getting chemotherapy, the response for the majority of patients on chemotherapy is not long-lived, and they cannot tolerate the side effects, but for patients who respond to nivolumab, that response can be sustained for months and even years.”14 Conclusion Air study has been and still remains a very important and significant aspect of academic research on all the levels. The first discoveries in this field led to understanding that air is necessary to support the life on the Earth. Further researches resulted into discoveries of more properties and features of air, which were used by physicians to invent new methods of diseases treatment and prevention. The discoveries of Pasteur and Lister truly made a revolution in medicine and not only saved many people’s lives, but also laid the foundation for further development of new ideas. Modern medicine concerns with air pollution primarily, as it is one of the most important problems of the day due to steadfast progress and consequent increase in emission of harmful substances into atmosphere. Due to constant research work the scientists and physicians managed to complete the challenges of time and invented brand-new cure for such diseases affected by air pollution as asthma and lung cancer. Bibliography Arden Pope III, C. et al. Lung Cancer, Cardiopulmonary Mortality, and Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Air Pollution (American Medical Association, 2002). Brahmer, Julie R. AACR: Lung Cancer Therapy Innovations (Cancer Network, 2013), Retrieved 19 Mar. 2015. Ellison, Hank D. Handbook of Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents (CRC Press, 2007), 567-570. Hugnes, Martin. Diseases Caused by Air Pollution (www.livestrong.com), retrieved 19 Mar. 2015. Mattson, Bruce. A Brief History of the Study of Gas Chemistry (Creighton Chemistry, 2008), 2. Pasteur, Louis. Theory of Fermentation (Translation: F. Faulkner, D.C. Robb, Fordham University), retrieved 19 Mar. 2015. www.discoveriesinmedicine.com, Joseph Lister. Retrieved 19 Mar. 2015. www.heartofengland.nhs.uk, Innovative heat treatment helps asthma patients breathe more easily, retrieved 19 Mar. 2015. Read More