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Medicine at its best

It is a long story, and now it is History.

Historians mention that Hippocrates, traditionally referred to as the ´Father of Medicine´, was born around the year 460 BC on the Greek island of Kos, being a son of Heraclides, a physician, and acording to Soranus of Ephesus, Hippocrates' first biographer, the famous physician and philosopher learned medicine from his father and grandfather and studied other subjects with Democritus and Gorgias, and was acknowledged by the disciples of Pythagoras for allying philosophy and medicine

Having separated medicine from religion he so established the fundaments of modern medicine, in which the physician focuses on specific diagnosis and specialized treatment that nowadays can be observed in many clinics and hospitals, even if Hippocratic medicine was basically passive, his therapeutic approach being based on ´the healing power of nature´, mainly opposed by the modern pharmaceutical industry. The ´Father of Medicine´ was reluctant to administer drugs and engage in specialized treatment that might prove to be wrongly chosen.

Hippocrates and his followers were the first to describe many diseases and medical conditions and the importance he attributed to ´prognosis´ remains a practice among medical doctors until our present time.

Another heritage from his valuable legacy is the Hippocratic Oath, probably the most important document that serves to define good medical practice and morals still being taken by modern medical graduates about to enter medical practice.

Now, let´s consider the 21st century: basically the ethics involving the way and the respect among those who assist people in need of treatment has not changed. The privacy of the patients has to be prioritized and a strong confidence between clients and those who are professionals must be present as part of the treatment and all the technological advances obviously have included the practice of medicine.

Most of all, the concern about the fragility and special needs of those who are ill has proved necessary to create spaces where the various diseases can be treated, meaning also the development of equipments and the growth of professional opportunities and requirements for those who decide to dedicate their lives to assisting and helping others.

Considering all these aspects, it became more and more evident that hospitals and clinics were crucial in all types of communities, what also opened a path to other job places in fields like administration, urbanism, technology, architecture, just to mention some, as well as the different specializations around `people´, like psychology, social assistance, nutrition, besides the core team of doctors and nurses. Teaching hospitals are also built combining patient care with the acceptance of postgraduate medical students who qualify to complete their residencies before licensure to practice.

What ´IS´ a hospital, then? According to Wikipedia, it is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical science and auxiliary healthcare and medical equipment. Obviously the big cities are the focus of this concentration, all over the world. A ´General Hospital´ typically has an emergency department and specialized hospitals include trauma centers and rehabilitation, as well as areas dedicated to the assistance offered to children and elderly people

Besides the official employees, usually volunteers perform the work of helping those who are admitted in a hospital for a treatment.

Hospitals can mean the best place where to be when someone needs a life-saving rescue. Just anyone knows how important is to be assisted in a good hospital, which is not only a location where competent professionals and excellent equipments are to be found but – and for many patients of crucial significance – a shelter where to hide from the different ´storms´ in life. Here we think of a hospital not only as a healthcare institution but as a ´home´, and if you happen to be there as a patient you feel safe, protected, and have the best possibilities to recover and go back to where you belong.

In cases like this, please don´t forget to say ´thank you´ to those who treated you.

We should never take kindness for granted!

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Strikes and Strokes

eLet´s not focus on this complicated attitude of employees who decide to stop working for whatsoever reason and that declare this fact a ´strike´, and let´s think about another meaning for the word 'strike', that is linked to a positive action which is Bowling, a sport played in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth as well as by around 120 million people in more than 90 countries including 70 million people in the United States alone, according to Wikipedia.

This is a target sport in which the player rolls a ball on a smooth lane towards pins (that look like bottles) and when all the pins are knocked down on the first roll we call it a 'strike'.

Now a Stroke has also the intrinsic meaning of ´something´ that is knocked down... just that it indicates a totally different fact, not only because it happens unexpectedly – when people play Bowling is is rather expected and/or wanted that the player will make a strike – but, most importantly, no one aims at being knocked down due to a stroke.

What is a stroke?

It is a medical emergency in which poor blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death what obviously is not the aim of anybody who loves life. There are various signs and symptoms and all of them point to a loss of life quality, varying from an inability to walk (move in general) to problems understanding or speaking, among others. Pneumonia and loss of bladder control can also happen.

Risk factors include high blood cholesterol, tobacco smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus. Diagnosis is typically based on a physical exam and supported by medical imaging such as a CT scan, an ECG and blood tests.

In 2023, 15 million people worldwide had a stroke.

This is a simple, basic comparison that contributes to those who are not very aware of deep differences a single letter can make.

Here is a suggestion: not only linguists are involved in languages as crucial bridges leading people to cross from one culture to another. We should all be very careful of the consequences when we mention a term.

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Loving protection

It´s such an old formula. It does not oppose science, nor diminishes the value of modern medicine.

It´s fantastic to live in a moment where so many technological resources are there to provide support and cure to those who are sick. It´s so good that there are medications, and professionals who know how to avoid and treat different diseases. It´s wonderful to have access to all that means life quality – and good health is a core aspect of it.

Even if not the majority – sadly not the majority at all – there are countries where the governmental institutions provide the best services and care at no financial cost to their inhabitants. Access to free medical assistance should be granted in all countries and to everybody. Life is a right, and as such it should be considered. Respect for good food, clean air and water, warm houses, fresh ambiances. Children deserve a future that means progress and development for each one. Education, specially basic education that prepares for the professional life ahead. No youngster should be afraid of becoming an adult because they can not afford it.

What is civilization? We do not need sophisticated definitions. It should mean respect and decency at all levels in a society. You don´t have it, then you get sick. So – tragically – simply is it. We get sick out of the greed and indifference from those who have the power to avoid suffering to just anyone in the world.

We don´t have it though. More and more we feel less and less in control of our lives, what leads to all misfortune and loneliness. So we get sick. Our minds are hungry, our blood runs fade, our body shrinks because we just do not have the basic And when we can´t identify the damages this toxic system causes we just keep on going, demanding from ourselves the time and energy we do not have because it has been draining, taken out of our inner-bodies and we could not even realize that is was happening until it explodes our emotions and put us to the ground.

We don´t need that many flags about the dangers. We need mirrors that show us the changes in our expressions. We need dear ones who alert us about the darkness around our eyes. We need ears that listen to our sad silences. We need voices that tell us to stop. We need arms that embrace and keep us warm.

Yes, all we need is love. When there is love then life is protected.

The formula is old but will remain young and modern at any times.

Only love heals, only love leads to peace. And only in peace can we live a LIFE.

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