Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Medical Advances 1-21-25

The Microscope was used to discover Bacteria. Two men are credited today with the discovery of microorganisms using primitive microscopes: Robert Hooke who described the fruiting structures of molds in 1665 and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek who is credited with the discovery of bacteria in 1676. 

The Electron Microscope was used to view Viruses.  It was Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll, a physicist and an electrical engineer, respectively, from the University of Berlin, who created the first electron microscope in 1931. This prototype was able to produce a magnification of four-hundred-power and was the first device to show what was possible with electron microscopy.

X-rays, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays on November 8, 1895. Röntgen was a German scientist who was experimenting with cathode rays in a Hittorf tube. He noticed that a fluorescent screen lit up even when it was far away from the tube, which led him to discover X-rays. 

Here are some dates related to the use of X-rays in the United States:

1896: Dr. Edwin Frost and his brother Dr. Gilman Frost took the first diagnostic X-ray in the United States to diagnose a broken wrist. 

1904: After the first deaths from radiation exposure, doctors began to wear lead shields, aprons, and gloves to protect themselves and their patients. 

1913: William Coolidge invented the X-ray tube that could treat deeper cancers. 

1914: Marie Curie invented a mobile X-ray unit to scan wounded soldiers during World War I. 

1925: About a quarter of all hospital patients had an X-ray examination. 

1976: The American Cancer Society recommended mammography as a breast cancer screening method. 

1977: Raymond Damadian, M.D., performed the first MRI body scan on a human. 

Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. It was produced to cure infections 

Fleming, a bacteriologist at St. Mary's Hospital in London, noticed a mold-contaminated Petri dish of Staphylococcus bacteria. He observed that the bacteria around the mold were dying, and isolated the mold as a member of the Penicillium genus. Fleming named the mold's active agent "penicillin" and determined that it had antibacterial properties. 

Penicillin wasn't used clinically until 1939, when scientists at Oxford University demonstrated its ability to kill bacteria. Penicillin became known as the war's "miracle drug" during World War II, saving millions of lives. It was finally available to the public in 1946. 

MRIs The discovery of MRI involved multiple steps over several years:

1925: About a quarter of all hospital patients had an X-ray examination. 

1930s: The spinning atom effect, known as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), was first observed. 

1971: Dr. Raymond Damadian published a paper that demonstrated that NMR could distinguish between normal and cancerous tissues. 

1972: Damadian filed the first patent for MRI technology. 

1973: Paul Lauterbur showed that NMR could produce images by varying the strength of the magnetic field. 

1976: The American Cancer Society recommended mammography as a breast cancer screening method. 

1977: Raymond Damadian, M.D., performed the first MRI body scan on a human. 

1977: Damadian and his students obtained the first whole-body MR images. 

1980: The FONAR Corporation introduced the first commercially available MRI machine. 

2003: Paul Lauterbur and Sir Peter Mansfield were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work on MRI. 

MRI is now a staple of medical diagnostics, with over 60 million MRI examinations performed annually. 

DNA was discovered by Friedrich Miescher in 1869, when he isolated a substance he called "nuclein" from white blood cells.

The double helix structure of DNA was discovered in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick.

DNA inspired research in Genetic Engineering in the 1980s and has been used by Law Enforcement to identify Criminals.

Comments

Medical Research time-lags were outrageous. Discoveries of bacteria made in the 1600s were ignored until the 1900s. The 1900s brought treatments and cures for bacterial infections and water-borne diseases claimed millions of lives during the 300 years of no treatments or cures. Our current approach to treat viruses is inadequate. Our best bet is to strengthen our immune systems by taking Zinc and Vitamin A and eat lean protein, fruits, whole grains, nuts and vegetables. Get enough rest and exercise. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with several forms, but alpha-tocopherol is the only one used by the human body. Its main role is to act as an antioxidant, scavenging loose electrons—so-called “free radicals”—that can damage cells.

Nonprescription ibuprofen is used to reduce fever and to relieve minor aches and pain from headaches, muscle aches, arthritis, menstrual periods, the common cold, toothaches, and backaches. Ibuprofen is in a class of medications called NSAIDs.

Respiratory infections are among the most common reasons patients seek outpatient care. Gastrointestinal infections are also common. Joint infections are less common but more difficult to diagnose.

https://www.biomerieux.com/us/en/our-offer/point-of-care.html

Magnesium may help with weight loss when combined with other healthy habits, but it's not a magic pill. Magnesium is a mineral that helps with many bodily functions, including metabolism, blood sugar regulation, and inflammation. 

How magnesium may help with weight loss

Improves metabolism

Magnesium can help your body burn more calories and fat, even when you're resting. 

Regulates blood sugar

Magnesium can help reduce blood sugar spikes and crashes, which can help you avoid overeating. 

Reduces inflammation

Magnesium deficiency has been linked to chronic inflammation, which can lead to obesity and metabolic dysfunction. 

Curbs appetite

Magnesium may help you feel full and reduce food intake by stimulating the release of cholecystokinin (CCK) in your small intestines. 

How to get more magnesium

Eat magnesium-rich foods, such as: Dark leafy greens, Quinoa, Whole grains, Nuts, Beans, Fish, Yogurt and Tofu. 

Comments

I started taking 300mg of magnesium daily to lose 40lb and lowered the portions of my meals to maintain my weight at 160lb. I did this for 5 years and my appetite disappeared.  That enabled me to used 16 hour intermittent fasting to avoid calorie build-up. I stopped the magnesium when it began to cause fatigue, but my appetite continues to be dormant. This doesn’t work for everybody and many have reactions to 300mg of magnesium.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

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