Health Care and Epidemics in Antiquity (Essay Sample)

Student’s name Professor’s name Course Date Health Care and Epidemics in Antiquity Epidemics were cyclic events that wrought waves of mass demise in the antiquity era. These epidemics spelt untold physical and mental suffering for individuals because they often caught health care systems flat-footed. Although epidemics dealt a massive blow to health systems, the society was not entirely clueless on the fundamental tenets of medical science, which was still rudimentary. Each epidemic wave became the basis for enhancing medical knowledge, which became characteristically effective in recognizing the contagious diseases by their symptoms, spreading patterns. Therefore, epidemics were not only society's bane, but also its boon because they laid public health foundations for handling future epidemics and the establishment of reliable health care practices. Epidemics became the grounds for the development of responsive public health policy in Antiquity. In particular, thinkers in society observed the critical pathways of disease spread and made critical recordings, which became vital in limiting future epidemics. Cohn (7) describes the Plague of Athens (430BCE) as the most eminent ancient plague. Thucydides (qtd. in Cohn 8), reported not only the disease's symptoms and characteristics but also its political, social, and psychological ramifications. On the one hand, Cohn (8) remarks that panicky 'efforts of self-preservation' followed due to the contagious nature of the disease which killed indiscriminately, including nurses who cared for patients thus compelling Athenians to isolate socially. On the other hand, in search of their troubles, the devastated Athenians initially blamed the tragedy on enemy poisoning. Still, they later pointed the accusatory finger on their leaders who persisted in an unnecessary war with the Spartans amidst a biting plague (Cohn 9). Galen (qtd. in Cohn 10), highlights there were parallels between the Athenian Plague and the Antonine plague that occurred later in 165-180CE. These reports show that leaders were critical custodians of the public's health in many ways but more significantly through a meticulous examination of past plagues, gaining insights crucial for the installation of health safeguards. For example, according to Diodorus (qtd. in Cohn 10) argues that Athenian plague arose from natural settings - overcrowding and significantly wet winter – which are both enabling transmission pathways for the disease's transmission. Thus, plague chronicles were potentially a boon or bane for the society, depending on whether the highlighted public health cracks were addressed. Antique societies experienced enhanced and wholesome health care models in the wake of epidemics. More specifically, health specialists appreciated the significance of adopting a wholesome health care model in society. For example, Kleisiaris (1) states that health care provision in ancient Greece was pegged upon the Hippocratic philosophy, which emphasized three fundamental tenets for wholesome health: health promotion, trauma care intervention, and mental wellness and art therapeutic interventions. Also, it acknowledges that health promotion is the foundation for wholesome health because it focuses on proper nutrition and adequate physical activity. On the one hand, Nomikos (645) states that olive oil was prescribed to athletes to avert sports injuries by making muscles more flexible. On the other hand, Tipton (880) reports that physical activity instructors are known as "pa...