The history of epidemiology
Epidemiological practices have been recorded as far back as 450BC (Merrill, 2012). These practices coincided with a growing desire to seek out explanations of disease and health concerns other than that of supernatural causes. Over the next 2500 years, observation and reason became the pillers, that which epidemiology stood upon. And although religious belief continued to have a significant presence throughout history, scholars and philosophers began to answers questions with more tangible explanations, explanations cemented by cause and effect and strengthening the divide between medicine and religion. We will start our journey through the history of epidemiology with the "father of medicine" himself, and one of first epidemiologists, Hippocrates. Known to the world at the father of medicine, and one of the first to see the patient and illness from an epidemiological viewpoint, his teachings and theories were vastly different than popular belief, not only for his time, but for centuries to come. We will continue, investigating several key players and their contribution to the development of epidemiology, that would eventually see it as a pivotal component in the provision of patient and public health care. And although there are many other contributors worth mention, it is the hope that by looking at these select figures and events that you will not only gain a greater understanding of the history of epidemiology, but an appreciation for its importance as well.
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Also Be sure to click the LEARN MORE links for a narative synopsis of some interesting facts about the individual/topic presented on that page.