HISTORY OF MEDICAL

TECHNOLOGY
PROFESSION
YASMINE O. DALIG, RMT, MPH
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

 Discuss the history of medical technology in a global

context;

 Identify the important personalities that played significant

roles in the progress of the medical technology
profession;

 Cite inventions and innovations in the medical

technology field
HISTORY OF MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY

GLOBAL
HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT

 Early medical diagnosis treated disease as a mystery

 Disease was believed to be caused by the negative

interaction between the environment and the body

 By around 300 BC to 180 AD, Hippocrates (Father of

Medicine and author of Hippocratic Oath) and Galen
(Greek Physician and Philosopher) instigated a
rudimentary and qualitative assessment of disorder
through measurement of body fluids)

 GOAL: Increase the quality of life of patients

HIPPOCRATES

 Advocated the tasting of

urine, listening to the lungs,
and observing outward
appearances in the
diagnosis of disease

 Concluded that the

appearance of bubbles,
blood, and pus in urine
indicated kidney disease
and chronic illness
GALEN

 Describe diabetes as
“diarrhea of urine” and
established the relationship
between fluid intake and
urine volume
ANCIENT TIMES (Medieval Europe)

 Diagnosis by “water casting”

(uroscopy) was widely
practiced

 Patients submitted their urine

in decorative flasks

 Physicians who failed to

examine urine were
subjected to public beating

 900 AD, first book detailing

the characteristics of urine
was written (color, density,
quality)
11th CENTURY

 Medical practitioners were

not allowed to conduct
physical examination of
the patients body

 Relied solely on the

patient’s description of of
symptoms and
observations
18th CENTURY

 Mechanical techniques
and cadaver dissection
were used to provide a
more objective and
accurate diagnosis and
understand the insides of
the body
19th CENTURY

 Physicians began using

machines for diagnosis or
therapeutics
 John Hutchinson’s
spirometer (vital capacity
of lungs)
 Jules Herrison’s
sphygmomanometer
(measures blood
pressure)

 Use of chemistry was pivotal

in diagnosis of diabetes,
anemia and diptheria, and
syphilis
BREAKTHROUGHS IN MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY

 1816 Stethoscope (Rene

Laennec) – used to acquire
information about the lungs an
heartbeats

 1840 – Microscope (Antonie van

Leeuwenhoek) – developed for
medical purposes due to
advances in lenses and lower
costs
BREAKTHROUGHS IN MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY

 1850 – Opthalmoscope (Hermann von

Helmholz) first visula technology

 1855 – Laryngoscope (Manuel Garcia)

uses two mirrors to observe the throat
and larynx

 1859 – X-Ray (Wilhelm Roentgen)

discovered by accident that radiation
could penetrate solid objects of low
density; allowed physician to view the
inside of the body without surgery;
used to diagnose pneumonia. Pleurisy
and TB since World War II
BREAKTHROUGHS IN MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY

 1903–Electrocardiograph (William
Einthoven) measure electrical
changes during the beating of
the heart

 1910 – Kenny Method (Elizabeth

Kenny) treatment of polio
(infantile paralysis) using hot
packs and muscle manipulation;
prompted the invention of a new
stretcher (Sylvia stretcher in 1927)
intended for transporting
patients in schock
BREAKTHROUGHS IN MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY

 1941– Cardiac Catherization and

Angiography
 1929 – Forsmann first operated the
machine
 1930-1940 – Developed by Moniz,
Reboul, Rushthoi
 1941- Cournand discovered a safe
method

* Made seeing the heart, lung vessels,

and valves possible through inserting a
cannula in an arm vein and into the
heart with an injection of radiopaque
dye for x-ray visualization
EARLY 20th CENTURY

 Improvements in basic sciences and integration of

scientific and technological discoveries marked the
advances in medical technology

 Medical technologies also made impacts on various

surgical procedures

 Further integration of technology with science ushered

new medical advancements:
 Electron Microscope
 New Medical Imaging Technologies
 Prosthetic Devices
EARLY 20th CENTURY

 ELECTRON MICROSCOPE – visualization of small cells

including tumor cells

 TOMOGRAPHY & MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI)

– adoption of computers in medical researches

 PROSTHESIS:
 Artificial heart valves
 Artificial blood vessels
 Functional electromechanical limbs
 Reconstructive skeletal joints
EARLY 20th CENTURY

 Medical technology breakthroughs persist through:

 Robotics
 Keyhole Surgery Procedures
 Genetic Engineering
 Telemedicine (information technology)

 Medical technology has improved quality of life and

increased life expectancy

 However, this progress resulted in the reevaluation of

traditional definitions of life and death
HISTORY OF MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY

UNITED STATES
1895

 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA’S William Pepper

Laboratory of Clinical Medicine – opened to highlight the
service role of clinical laboratories
1918

 John Kolmer developed a method that would certify

medical technologists on a national scale
 He published The Demand for and Training of Laboratory
Technicians : included the description of the first formal
training course in Medical Technology

 State legislature of Pennsylvania enacted a law requiring

all hospitals and institutions to have a fully equipped
laboratory fit for routine testing and to employ a full time
laboratory technician
1920

 1920 – the administrative units of the clinical laboratories in

large hospitals were directed by a chief physician

 Clinical Laboratories consisted of 4 to 5 divisions:

 Clinical Pathology
 Bacteriology
 Microbiology
 Serology
 Radiology

 As clinical laboratories held more prominence in the delivery

of laboratory tests, the need for technicians and
technologists that would assist physicians became greater
 1922
 American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) was founded with
the objective of encouraging the cooperation between
physicians and clinical pathologists as well as maintaining the
status of clinical pathologists
 ASCP established the code of ethics for medical technologists and
technicians stating that they should work under the supervision of
physician and refrain from making oral and written diagnosis and
advising physicians how patients should be treated
 American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) (formerly
know as American Society for Medical Technologists (ASMT)) was
originally a subgroup of ASCP , helped in the recognition of
nonphysician clinical laboratory scientists as autonomous
professionals
HISTORY OF MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY

PHILIPPINES
HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN THE PHILIPPINES

 1565- Hospital Real - first hospital the Spaniards established

was moved from Cebu to Manila to cater military patients
 Members of religious orders came to the country alongside the
occupiers established health institutions for poor and
educational institutions for the elite

 1578 – the Franciscans built the San Lazaro Hospital for the
poor and lepers

 1596 – Hospital de San Juan de Dios was founded for poor

Spaniards

 1641 – Hospital de San Jose was founded in Cavite

HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN THE PHILIPPINES

 1611 – Dominicans founded University of Santo Tomas; 1871:

establishment of faculties of pharmacy and medicine

 Publishing of journals of science and medicines:

 1886 Boletin de Medicina de Manila
 1893 Revista Farmaceutica de Filipinas
 1895 Cronicas de Ciencias Medicas

 1806- The Central Board of Vaccination started producing

and distributing vaccine lymph (122 regular vaccinators/
vacunadores in Manila and other major towns in 1898
HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN THE PHILIPPINES

 1611 – Dominicans founded University of Santo Tomas; 1871:

establishment of faculties of pharmacy and medicine

 Publishing of journals of science and medicines:

 1886 Boletin de Medicina de Manila
 1893 Revista Farmaceutica de Filipinas
 1895 Cronicas de Ciencias Medicas

 1806- The Central Board of Vaccination started producing

and distributing vaccine lymph (122 regular vaccinators/
vacunadores in Manila and other major towns in 1898
HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN THE PHILIPPINES

 1876 – Provincial medical officers were appointed to

provide health care services throughout the country

 1883 – Establishment of Board of Health and Charity

 1887 – Established Laboratorio Municipal de Manila by

Spanish authorities (laboratory exam of food, water and
clinical samples)
 General Antonio Luna was employed as chemical expert in
laboratory, pioneered water testing, forensics , and
environmental studies
HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN THE PHILIPPINES

 1901 – Bureau of Government Laboratories (US

Government through Philippine Commission) under the
Philippine Commission Act No. 156 was established;
located in Calle Herran (Pedro Gil), Ermita, Manila
 Science Library
 Chemical Section
 Serum Laboratory (Vaccine Production)
 HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN THE PHILIPPINES
 Manila Public Health Laboratory- first clinical laboratory in the
Philippines (World War II, 6th Infantry Division of the US Army) in
Quiricada Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila

 June 1945 – US army left and endorsed to National

Department of Health (non-operational)

 October 1945 – Dr. Pio de Roda opened the unit with the
help of Dr. Mariano Icasiano (Manila City Health Officer)

 Dr. Prudencia Sta. Ana conducted training program for lab

workers (tasked to prepare 6-month formal syllabus)

 Dr. Tirso Briones joined the two later

 HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN THE PHILIPPINES
 The training program ended in 1954. when Bureau of Private
Education approved a four-year course in Bachelor of
Science in Medical Technology

 Manila Sanitarium and Hospital opened the first School of

Medical Technology in the Philippines (William Hedrick, wife
of DR. Elvin Hedrick)

 1954 – Philippine Union College (PUC), Baesa, Caloocan City

(Adventist University of the Philippines) absorbed MSH’s
School of Medical Technology (clinical internship: MSH)
 HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
IN THE PHILIPPINES
 Dr. Jesse Umali – first graduate; MD at Far Eastern University,
OB at US

 University of Santo Tomas offered the MT course as elective

for pharmacy students;

 1961 – MT was recognized as official program in UST

INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS
IN THE FIELD OF MEDICAL
LABORATORY
 INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS

1660 (Antonie van Leeuwenhoek) 1796 (Edward Jenner)

 Discovered vaccination to
establish immunity to small
pox;

 The father of Microbiology; known for his  Impact of Contribution:

work on the improvement of microscope IMMUNOLOGY
 INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS
1880 (Marie Francois Xavier
Bichat) 1835 (Agostino Bassi)

 Identified organs by their types of  Produced disease in worms

tissues; by injection of organic
material – the beginning of
 Impact of Contribution: HISTOLOGY bacteriology
 INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS

1857 (Louis Pasteur) 1866 (Gregor Mendel)

 Successfully produced immunity  Enunciated his law of inherited

to rabies characteristics from studies on
plants
 INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS

1870 (Joseph Lister) 1877 (Robert Koch)

 Demonstrated that surgical infections are Presented the first pictures

caused by airborne organisms of bacilli (anthrax), and
later tubercle bacillu
 INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS
1886 (Ernst von
1886 (Ellie Metchnikoff) Bergmann)

 Described phagocytes in blood  Introduced steam sterilization

and their role in fighting infection in surgery
INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS
1906 (August von
1902 (Karl Landsteiner) Wasserman))

 Distinguished blood groups  Developed immunologic

through the development tests for syphilis
of the ABO blood group
system
 INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS

1954 (Jonas Salk) 1929 (Hans Fischer)

 Worked out the structure of
 Developed poliomyelitis vaccine hemoglobin
 INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS
1980 (Baruch Samuel
Blumberg) 1985 (Kary Mullis)

 Introduced the Hepatitis B  Developed the Polymerase

vaccine Chain Recation (PCR)
 INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS

1992 (Andre van

Steirteghem)

1998 (James Thomson)

 Introduced the Intracytopasmic sperm  Derived the first human Stem
injection (IVF) Cell line
KEY POINTS

 The history of medical technology can be traced back to

the ancient times

 In the United States, the establishment of the first clinical

laboratories and the development o f the laboratory
practice marked the growth of the medical technology
fiels

 The history of medical technology in the Philippines can

be traced back to the establishment of the country’s first
clinical laboratory by the 6th infantry Division of the US
Army.