TECHNOLOGY- A HELPING HAND TO OUR HEALTH

EVALUATE THE IMPORTANCE OF VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING CANADIAN CONTRIBUTIONS, TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERNAL BODY SYSTEMS (DIGESTIVE, CIRCULATORY OR RESPIRATORY)

 The average number of people who reside in the world can be counted up to seven billion. Statistics show that 250 babies are born  every minute, when one hundred and 50 thousand die daily. With this information we can conclude that world that the world population is increasing by 150 humans per minute. All human beings have thoughts, worries and dreams about the most marvelous and complex miracle- the Human Body. A comportment and lasting feature of the this body is self curiosity. We continually look for answers in enormous and ever-increasing detail, to understand the action wthin. Medical technologies help us visualise and grasp this remarkable and extraordinady machine.

Imaging is vital to diagnose illness, unravel disease process, and evaluate treatment. Modern techniques have largely replaced surgery in estblishing the presence and extent of the disease. Microscopy has also helped advance biological reachearch. For example, computerized tomography (CT or CAT scan) of the lungs show the capirallies, aveolies, brochie and the bronchioles in detail. The spongy tissues and airways of a health lungs are shows in orange and yellow colors and are very distinct from their denser surroundings. Moreover, the heart and the major blood vessels between the lungs are blue and the vertebrae, ribs and sternum are in dark blue. Other equipments such as the bronchoscope produce an image of the trachea and shows the cartilage rings that keep it from collapsing.

The first physiciancs to record  their patients healing process to enhance patient care were Hoppocrate (460-377BC) and Glen (131-201AD).  Medical practises were based on patients description of the symtopms to identify diseases, until the 19th centuary. During the end of the 18th centuary physicians started studying on the dead bodies and using manual techniques to diagonise illness. One of the first medical technologies invented was a device for measuring the capacity of the lungs by Hutchison. Later came the Sphygnomanometer which measures blood pressure, was invented by Herrisson. By the half of the 20th centuary, medicine was revolutonnized with the extensive care of medical technologies like the thermometer, stethoscope, microscope, ophthalmoscope, laryngoscope and the x-rays. The development of these technologies enabled the doctors to see and hear parts within the body such as the lungs and the heart.These inventions helped us understand more about ourselves and what your body does within you to maintain you health and living. Technology also makes it easier to know when your body is weak and needs assistence.

Canada is a great contributor to the medical world. Some of the world's most proficient inventions and discoveries were made by Canadians. Medical doctors came to Canada along with other French settlers. David parker, who worked in Halifax during the 18th centuary, was the first to operate with anestheia. Making way to Christopher Widmer, who was known as the "Father of surgery" in lower Canada. During the same time W.R Beaumont became a profilic inventor of surgical instruments. Both Christopher Widmer and W.R Beaumont lives during the 19th century. The 20th centuary gifted Canada with some of world best scientists. Two of Canada's major contribution to the medical world was arose during this centuary. The two contributions are:

1. 
   
   
    The improvement of anesthesia by W.E brown in 1923 and Dr. Harold Griffith in 1942. W.E brown established the value of ethylene as an anesthetic. Dr. Harold Griffith advanced the science of anesthesia by using the curare plant.
2. 
   
   
   The next is the discovery of the fact that recovery rates of patients wound could be drastically improved if the wounds were disinfected.

One of the world's major discoveries was the discovery of insulin. This was discovered and clinically applied by three Candaians, Frederick Banting and Chales Best and  J.J.R Macleod in 1922. This discovery not only helped us learn about a new hormone that effects the metabolim in the body, but also helped develop vacines and medicine for dibete patient, whose bodies fail to control insulin levels. 

These contribution to the medical world were the stepping stone to many of the advanced technologies that we are able to assess today to further understand our body. Today we are able to learn in detail about our organs such as the digestive, circulatory and repiratory  systems because of these technologies. Doctors today are able to visually see the problem and learn about the conditions of the patient with more details that enable for more successful operations and the inventon and discoveries of new medecines for cure of illness.

All the more, countries around the world are struggling to provide medical effeciency to all of its citizens because they are uable to meet medical costs. The solution to this challenge is held by technology. In a cbc article Dr. Anne Doig, president of the Canadian Medical Association, announced the tranformation to our health care system. In the interview she gave to the new reporters she says, "When you have an EMR in your office you make fewer mistakes. And that you can have better information at your finger tips more quickly... They also need to see how these systems connected to other resources such as labs, pharmacies, hospitals and specialists, so that both you and the patients can better manage the care". New IT machines invented try to connect all the data to make health assistence more efficient. Recently, Manitobia set up a multi-million dollar system that centralizes lab results, medication histories and immunization data. Spain has also shown some significant use of technologies that has improved their results by 10 percent. They set up a common data system across 470 primary care clinics. Moreover, during the intial stages of swine flu, that travelled through air recently, Mexico city developed an analytic system that survey the severity and the spreding of the flu. The same system was also set up in Hamilton, Canada to take precautious steps in order to avoid intensity of the flu.

The following link shows a video of an incredible technology developed a few years ago by NASA called Artemis. This technology that makes a 2 dimension CAT scan and make it 3 dimentional. It helps doctors to performs complicated operations safer than before and also shows the importance of technology in medical world. The video touches on the history of medical technology and shows visuals of old instruments used before the 20th century. I hope this video will be enjoyable ro watch.

SOURCES

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ROLAND, CHARLES. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005203.

Steve., Parker,. The Human Body Book. New York: DK ADULT, 2007. Print.

Can Technology Solve The Health Care Crisis? - Smart Shift." CBC.ca - Canadian News Sports Entertainment Kids Docs Radio TV. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. http://www.cbc.ca/smartshift/2010/02/can-technology-solve-the-health-care-crisis.html.

"YouTube - Advances in Medical Technology." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXIgvtq-_zc.  
 
Lombardi, Rosie. "Pandemic survelence systems connects five hospitas in haamilton." News and trends. Www.canhealth.com, Nov. & dec. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2010 . http://www.cissec.com/images/pdfs/CanadianHealthcareTech.pdf.

"Insulin -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin.

"Obama: Health Care Costs Too Much, but Technology Can Help - Health Blog - WSJ." WSJ Blogs - WSJ. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/01/20/obama-health-care-costs-too-much-but-technology-can-help/tab/article/.