The Revolution of American Medicine in the Twentieth Century

    The evolution of American medicine, as practiced in the twentieth century, is astounding.From the crudest pioneer survival techniques to the greatest standard of health care in the world -- ours is a history that is rich and varied. The innovations and advances are staggering to the human mind. From the conquering of polio to the detailed mapping of the brain...our medical tradition and inventions are of such a fine caliber that we are rightfully the teachers of the world when it comes to the healing of the human body. However, it was not always this way. Our nation, at one time, experienced the same fear and intimidation of diseases that other nations in the world feel to this day. Nevertheless, great men would come along, full of genius and ambition, who would forever change the way we live and even the way we die. Our nation would never again be the same after these transformations.

In a century of such innovation as the Twentieth Century, particulary in the field of medicine, it would be monumental to tell of all the advances and inventions in the context of one web page. In the interest of space, I chose to approach the topic of how medicine was transformed in a mere 100 years, by choosing only the most significant people, inventions, and advances. Truly, hundreds of books have been written on this subject...however, I chose to detail only the most crucial discoveries - those that astounded Americans and forever changed their lives. I also took the liberty of noting the contributions of doctors outside of the United States. Albeit, their disoveries, inventions, and research occurred in other nations - nevertheless, it would be their pioneering example that would revolutionize American medicine.

Jonas Salk:
Conqueror of Polio

Alexis Carrel:
Organ Transplantation

Christiaan N.Barnard:
Open Heart Surgery

Harvey Cushing:
Developement of Neurosurgery

Alexander Fleming:
The Miracle Cure of Antibiotics

Where are we going?
Medicine in the Post-Modern World

                                                               Web page created by Lindsay Hayler
                                                                        Wake Forest University
                                                                            First Year Seminar