MLS 101 Week 1: History of Medical Technology or the Clinical Laboratory Science Profession

 What is Medical Technology?

 Known as Clinical Laboratory Science / Laboratory Medicine
 Refers to the application of diagnostic, therapeutic & preventive medicine to monitor & improve the
management of health conditions
Anna Fagelson (1961) Branch of medicine which is concerned with the performance of laboratory
determinations & analyses used in the diagnosis & treatment of disease &
the maintenance of health
Walters (1996) A health profession concerned with performing laboratory analyses in view
of obtaining information necessary in the diagnosis & treatment of diseases
as well as in the maintenance of good health
Application of the principles of natural, physical, & biological sciences in
laboratory procedures to aid in the diagnosis & treatment of diseases.

 According to RA 5527, Medical Technology as an auxiliary branch of medicine which deals with
examinations using various chemical, microscopic, bacteriologic, & other medical laboratory
procedures or techniques that will aid the physician in diagnosis, study, & treatment of disease & in
the promotion of health in general
~Philippine Medical Technology Act of 1969

 Medical Technology- Interdisciplinary

 Hematology
 Clinical chemistry
 Medical microbiology
 Clinical microscopy (Urinalysis & other body fluids)
 Medical Parasitology
 Immunology
 Serology
 Immunohematology
 General pathology & Histopathology
 MTLE (Medical Technology Laws and Ethics)

 The History of Medical Technology (1500 B.C)

 Ebers Papyrus considered as the oldest preserved Egyptian compilation of medical texts
o Composed of 110-pages, 20 meters long scroll that contains chapters on contraception,
pregnancy, eye & skin problems, surgery, burns, & intestinal diseases & parasites
 Hippocrates described the four humors or body fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile
o He also advocated the tasting of urine, listening to the lungs, & observing outward
appearances in the diagnosis of disease
o Appearance of bubbles, blood, and pus in urine = kidney disease and chlorine illness.

Galen  described diabetes as “diarrhea of urine” & established the

relationship between fluid intake & urine volume
Medieval Period in  diagnosis is by “water casting” aka uroscopy
MLS 101 Week 1: History of Medical Technology or the Clinical Laboratory Science Profession

Europe  Patients submitted urine in decorative flask

 Physicians who failed to examine the urine were subjected to
beating
Ruphus of Ephesus  First description of hematuria (presence of blood in urine)
(500 AD)  Blood vessels dilate supplying blood to the kidney.
Isaac Jedaeus (900 AD)  A Jewish physician, wrote Kitab al Baul (book of urine)
detailed the concepts of urine formation , sediments, & urine
characteristics in relation to diseases

ORGAN BODY ELEMENT AGE DISPOSITI

FLUIDS/HU ON /
MORS CHARACTE
RISTIC
Heart Blood Air Adolescenc Hot/ Moist
e
Brain Phlegm Water Maturity Cold/
Moist
Gall Yellow Bile Fire Childhood Hot/ Dry
Bladder
Spleen Black Bile Earth Age Cold/ Dry

3 P’s of Diabetes
 Polydipsia - an increase of thirst
 Polyuria - frequent urination
 Polyphagia - a rise in appetite

 In the early 11th century, medical practitioners were not allowed to conduct physical
examination of the patient’s body
 Greek Physicians made diagnoses by pouring urine on the ground, observing whether the urine
attracted insects. It if did, patient has boils

14th Century
 Anna Fagelson confirmed the beginnings of Medical Technology when she correlated the cause
of Alexander Gillani (assistant to an Italian physician) to acquired-laboratory infection

17th Century
 Anton Van Leeuwonhoek grinded and polished magnifying lenses leading to formation of a
new compound microscope. He is known as the Father of Microbiology

1821 - 1902
 Rudolf Virchow studied diseases and infections at a cellular level using a microscope (Father of
Microscopic Pathology)
 Richard Lower studied blood transfusion
 MLS 101 Week 1: History of Medical Technology or the Clinical Laboratory Science Profession

 William Hewson described serum from clotted blood

 Louis Pasteur discovered the concepts on aerobic and anaerobic bacteria (coined
“Pasteurization”, prevented spoilage, discovered vaccine against rabies)

 Robert Koch established the Koch’s postulate:

o The specificity of pathogen can only be established if:
1. It is present in all cases
2. Inoculation of its pure culture produce disease in animals
3. From these organisms, it can again be obtained
4. Then it can be propagated again in pure culture

 In the 19th century:

o John Hutchinson - spirometer for measuring the vital capacity of the lungs
o Jules Herisson - sphygmomanometer for measuring blood pressure
o Use of chemistry was pivotal in the diagnosis of diabetes, anemia, diphtheria, & syphilis
 In mid-1900s, technical laboratories regulated by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
(CDC) began to be used for medical diagnostics

 First Laboratories:
 In Britain: Guys Hospital ( introduced in wards)
 USA: most labs were done by physicians with microscope at home or office; the first set up lab
was at University of Pennsylvania’s William Pepper Laboratory of Clinical Medicine (1895)
Dr. William Welch  Opened a teaching lab in New York University Medical School
(Bacteriologist/ ( Bellevue Medical College)
Pathologist)  1 physician to teach at John Hopkin’s University;
st

 1st dean of John Hopkin’s University school of medicine

Dr. William Osler  Established ward laboratories at John Hopkin’s Hospital
James Campbell Todd  Wrote a book clinical diagnosis: A manual of laboratory methods
John Bernard Henry  Edit the book of Todd- retitled it as clinical Diagnosis &
Management by laboratory methods
University of  First to offer a degree program in Medical Technology
Minnesota

 In 1918:
o John Kolmer called for the development of the method that would certify medical
technologists on a national scale
o The state legislature of Pennsylvania enacted a law requiring all hospitals to have a fully-
equipped laboratory and employ a full time laboratory technician
 In 1920:
o Laboratories are to be administered by chief physicians; only five sections were present back
then (serology, pathology, bacteriology, microbiology, and radiology
o ASCP: American Society of Clinical Pathologist was administered.
 MLS 101 Week 1: History of Medical Technology or the Clinical Laboratory Science Profession

 Medical Technology in the Philippines:

 First clinical lab was established during world war II by the 26th Medical Laboratory of the 6th US
Army at Santa Cruz manila
 After the US army left in 1945, lab was endorsed to the National Department of Health
 Dr. Alfredo Pio de Roda reorganized the deserted laboratory and was supported by Dr. Mariano
Icasiano
 In October 1st of 1945, a medical laboratory was born under the Filipino Leader
 With Dr. Prudencia Sta. Ana & Dr. Tirso Briones a formal 6-month training program was offered to
HS graduates interested to work as medical technician in 1947 Schools in the Philippines
 In 1954, the Bureau of Private of Education approved a 4-year course in BSMT
o The first 4-year BSMT program was offered by the Manila Sanitarium & Hospital (MSH)
with the help of an American physician & missionary, Dr. Willa Hilgert Hedrick
o In the same year, Philippine Union College absorbed MSH’s school of Medical
Technology, Baesa, Caloocan City know: Adventist University of the Philippines
o Dr. Jesse Umali was the first graduate in 1956 who later on took medicine at FEU
o 1957: UST offered MT elective course in pharmacy leading to BSMT
o 1960: CEU offered MT
o 1962: FEU offered MT