Timeline of epidemiology

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This is a timeline of epidemiology.

Big picture

Time period Development summary
19th century John Snow, Ignaz Semmelweis, Louis Pasteur, Robert Koch, Florence Nightingale, and others make important contributions to the field of epidemiology. In the mid to late century, bacteria are being identified as major causes of diseases.[1]

Epidemiologic transitions

Transition Development summary
Hunter–gatherer to cities First epidemiologic transition, ocurring circa 10,000 BC with the advent the agricultural revolution. People become less dependent on hunting and gathering and begin producing food and domesticating animals. This brings the emergence of infectious diseases and diseases related to nutrition, caused by the new practice of agriculture and food production. This shift would bring zoonotic diseases, nutrient deficiencies and increased contact with disease vectors. Few epidemics turn into major epidemics.
Immunologic resisteance and organism change Change from major epidemics to endemic diseases.
Public health and sanitation There's a transition from infectious diseases to non–infectious chronic and degenerative diseases.
Increased globalization There's a resurgence and rapid spread of infectious diseases.

Full timeline

Year Event type Details Country/geographical location
460–377 BC Scientific development Hippocrates is considered to be the first epidemiologist. In his three books entitled Epidemic I, Epidemic III and On Airs, Waters and Places, Hippocrates attempts to describe disease from a rational perspective, rather than a supernatural basis. Hippocrates observes that different diseases occur in different locations. He also notes that malaria and yellow fever most commonly occur in swampy areas. Hippocrates also introduces terms like epidemic and endemic.[1]
1620–1674 Scientific development John Graunt describes disease occurrence and death with the use of systematic methods and develops and calculates life tables and life expectancy.[1]
1624–1689 Scientific development Thomas Sydenham approaches the study of disease from an observational angle rather than a theoretical one.[1]
1754 Scientific development Scottish naval surgeon James Lind publishes A Treatise on Scurvy, in which he identifies the symptoms of scurvy and the fact that the disease becomes common in sailors after as little as a month at sea.[2] United Kingdom
c.1774 English farmer/dairyman Benjamin Jesty notices his milkmaids never get smallpox, but cowpox from the cows. Jesty comes to the conclusion that there's a link between acquiring cowpox and not getting smallpox. Jesty would expose his wife and children to cowpox to protect them from smallpox, with success.[1][2]
1807–1883 Scientific development British epidemiologist William Farr advances John Graunt's work in order to better describe epidemiologic problems.[1] United Kingdom
1850 Lemuel Shattuck publishes the first report on sanitation and public health problems in the Commonwealth of Massachussets. This marks the beginning of epidemiology in the United States.[1] United States
1854 Scientific development English physician John Snow demonstrates, during an epidemic in London, that the transmission of cholera is significantly reduced when uncontaminated water is provided to the population. Snow is considered one of the most important contributors to the field of epidemiology.[1] United Kingdom
1857 Convention The first quarantine convention is held in the Unied States. The prevention of typhus, cholera, and yellow fever is discussed. Port quarantine and the hygiene of immigrants are also of concern. Public health educational activities begin at this time.[1] United States
1870–1879 Scientific development German physician Robert Koch shows that anthrax is transmissible and reproducible in experimental animals (mice). The epidemiologic significance that Koch demonstrates is that the anthrax bacillus is the only organism that causes anthrax in a susceptible animal.[1] Prussia
1886 Scientific development The first major epidemiologic implication of deficiency illness comes in this year when the Dutch commission the firm of C. A. Pekelharing and Winkler who sends army doctor Christian Eijkman to the East Indies to investigate the cause of beriberi. In site, Eijkman observes that chickens fed on polished rice develop symptoms of beriberi and recover promptly when the food is changed to whole rice. However, Eijkman would mistakenly attribute the cause of the disease to a neurotoxin.[1]
1887 Treatment Japanese naval surgeon T. K. Takaki eradicates beriberi from the Japanese navy by adding vegetables, meat, and fish to their diet, which until date was mostly rice.[1] Japan
1971 Publication Professor Abdel R. Omran, working at the University of North Carolina, writes “Conceptually, the theory of epidemiologic transition focuses on the complex change in patterns of health and disease and on the interactions between these patterns and their demographic, economic and sociologic determinants and consequences.” Since this publication, the theory of epidemiological transition would be adopted and prove useful in laying out an overarching perspective on changing demographic patterns.[3][4] United States

Meta information on the timeline

How the timeline was built

The initial version of the timeline was written by User:Sebastian.

Funding information for this timeline is available.

What the timeline is still missing

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Timeline update strategy

See also

External links

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 "Historic Developments in Epidemiology" (PDF). samples.jbpub.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Introduction to Epidemiology (Merrill ed.). Retrieved 26 December 2017. 
  3. "The Epidemiologic Transition: Changing Patterns of Mortality and Population Dynamics". journals.sagepub.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017. 
  4. "Notes on Contributors". PMC 2690272Freely accessible. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0009.2005.00416.x. Retrieved 26 December 2017.