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In the years BC
From 0 AD to 1500 AD
Since the beginnings of Modern Medicine
The Modern Epoch
7000 BC - First wine produced in Georgia
MESOPOTAMIAM CULTURE (5000 - 1400 BC)
4000 BC - Introduction of wine
3300 BC - Invention of writing as pictograms
3000 BC - First representation of wine drinking in Standard of Ur
2100 BC - Use of wine as medicine as illustrated by a Sumerian Pharmacopoea inscribed on a clay tablet at Nippur in cuneiform script
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION (3000 - 332 BC)
3000 BC - Ancient Egyptian medical papyri forebearers to the current known medical papyri
2400 BC - Earliest depiction of winemaking in the pictographs of the tomb of Ptah-hotep at Thebes
Medical Papyri:
1900 BC - Kahun
1650 BC - Edwin Smith
1500 BC - Ebers
1500 BC - Hearst
1350 BC - London
1350 BC - Berlin
1350 BC - Brugsch
ANCIENT CHINA (1800 BC - 220 AD)
Wines were incorporated in the materia medica and appeared as menstruums in the ancient Chinese writings.
1766-1122 BC - Wine was used in libational ritual in the Chang Dynasty
1122-222 BC - Wine was used in sacrificial rituals in the Chou Dynasty
BIBLICAL TIMES (1220 BC - 70 AD)
Use of wines as sedatives, antiseptics, and vehicles for other medicines is illustrated in the Sacred Writings:
536 BC - Talmud, written after
400 BC - Old Testament, written before
1st Century AD - New Testament, first reorder
ANCIENT INDIA (ca. 2000 B.C.-1000 A.D.)
Vedic Period:
ca. 2000-200 B.C.
Soma, the supreme deity of healing was conceived as a being in liquid form. In the Vedas the healing potential of wine was made equal to the power of Soma.
Brahmanic period:
ca. 200 B.C.
Use of wine in medicine as illustrated in the Charaka Samhita
1000 A.D.
EARLY GREEK MEDICINE (ca. 900-100 B.C.)
Homeric times:
ca. 900-500 B.C.
In the Iliad and the Odyssey wine was described as antiseptic and sedative, and as a staple food
ca. 850 B.C.
Hesiod described wine as nutrient and tonic
8th Century B.C.
Hippocratic times:
ca. 450-300 B.C.
Hippocrates used wine as an antiseptic, diuretic, sedative and menstruum as described in his medical text "Regiment"
ca. 460-370 B.C.
Diocles of Carystus wrote on the use of sweet wines in medicine
375 B.C.
Theophrastus of Eresus described plant embellished wines
372-287 B.C.
Mnesitheus wrote of wine in "Diet and Drink"
320-290 B.C.
The Alexandrians: (when the centre of medicine moved to Alexandria)
ca. 300-50 B.C.
The judicious use of wines in therapeusis was stressed in the teachings of the medical school founded by Erasistratus
300-260 B.C.
Nicander used wine as a menstruum for his theriacs and Alexipharmics
190-130 B.C.
Mithradates, King of Pontus, used wine as the menstruum for his antidote Mithradatium
132-63 B.C.
Hikesios wrote a treatise and commentary on wine "De Conditura Vini"
ca. 1st Cent. B.C.
Apollonius of Citium wrote on the medicinal value of European wines in a letter to Ptolemies
ca. 81-85 B.C.
GREEK MEDICINE IN ROME (ca. 100 B.C.-100 A.D.)
With the establishment of the Greek physicians in Rome, the therapeutic use of wine became a vital question. Physicians who adopted the medical use of wine were known as Physikos oinodotes:
Cato the elder described wine as a medicine
234-149 B.C.
Asclepiades, leader of the wine-prescribing physicians
124-40 B.C.
Zopyrus used wine as the menstruum for a mithradatium called "Ambrosia"
ca. 80 B.C.
Menecrates of Tralles used wine clinically
ca. 1st Cent. B.C.
Celsus wrote on wine as a medicine in "De re Medicina"
25 B.C.-37 A.D.
Pliny the Elder described therapeutic uses of wine in "Naturalis Historia"
23-79 A.D.
Columella emphasised wine as a medicine
4 B.C.-65 A.D.
Sexitus Niger advocated the use of natural wine in medicine
ca. 40 A.D.
Dioscorides recommended wine as Materia Medica for many disease in "De Universa Medicina"
40-90 A.D.
ca. 77 A.D.
THE ERA OF GALEN (ca. 100-400 A.D.)
After the death of Asclepiades, independent medical schools were established.
The School of Ecleciticism:
Athenaeus of Attalia taught that wine in small doses rouses the "pneuma" and restores vitality
ca. 41-54 A.D.
Galen used wine based mixtures called Galenicals and wrote about wine as a medicine in "De Sanitate Tuenda" (Galen's Hygiene)
ca. 131-201
Aretaeus of Cappadocia recommended Italian wines
2nd-3rd Cent.
Athenaeus of Naucratis, the encyclopedist, recorded valuable information on the medicinal use of wine in "The Deipnosophists"
3rd Cent.
Oribasius recommended wine as a medicine
325-403
Roman generals such as Julius Caesar recommended wine for their soldiers to increase their strength, preserve good health and prevent dysentery.
BYZANTINE ERA (ca. 400-700)
Following the transfer of the Roman capital to Byzantium the centre of learning became displaced but the teachings of Galen prevailed
330
Aetius of Amida detailed the medical uses of wine in the "Tetrabiblion"
502-575
Alexander of Tralles followed the tradition of the wine-prescribing physicians
525-605
Paul of Aegina recognized as the link between Greek and Arabic medicine
625-690
ARABIC PERIOD (ca. 600-1300)
Arabic culture influenced western thought for many centuries after the death of Mohammed in
632
And the conquest of Alexandria in
641
The first apothecary shop established in Bagdad
745
The Precepts of Galen prevailed and the use of wine in medicine continued:
Rhazes wrote on the washing of wounds with wine
860-932
Haly ben Abbas discussed wine as a medicine in "Almaleki"
ca. 10th Cent.
Avicenna promulgated rules for the proper use of wine in the Canon of Medicine
980-1032
Mansur the Great discussed wine as pharmacologic menstruum
ca. 10th Cent.
Avenzoar adhered to the emphasised hippocratic teaching
ca.1162
Maimonides elaborated on the medicinal value of wine in "De Regimine Sanitatis"
1135-1204
Averroes applied Aristotelian teaching to medicine
ca. 1198
Albucasis recommended wine as an antiseptic in his treatise on surgery
936-1013
THE SCHOOL OF SALERNO (ca. 1050-1300)
The first lay medical school in Europe established at Salerno
10th Cent.
Arabic medical manuscripts brought to Salerno by Constantine the African
1027-1087
The "regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum" illustrated the therapeutic uses of wine
ca. 11th Cent.
Ugo Borgognoni used wine as an antiseptic
died ca. 1258
Teodorico Borgogoni advocated the use of wine as an antiseptic
1205-1296
Salicet used strong wine as an antiseptic in surgery
ca. 1210-1277
Bruno da Longoburgo achieved wound antisepsis with wine
ca. 1300
Lanfranc lapsed back into the practice of suppuration (Laudable Pus)
ca. 1306
LATE MIDDLE AGES (ca. 1300-1543)
The physicians of the period began to realise the importance of the treatment of disease based on clinical experience.
Arnald of Villanova established the therapeutic use of wine in "Liber de Vinis" and popularised Aqua vitae
ca. 1235-1311
Henri de Mondeville advocated the use of wine as a "wound drink"
1260-1320
Guy de Chauliac used wine in the treatment of wounds and as a mouth wash
1300-1368
John of Arderne employed wine as a menstruum
1307-1377
Hieronymus Brunschwig ascribed miraculous healing powers to "Aqua vitae composita"
ca. 1450-1533
The "Antidotarium Nicolai" printed
1471
Paracelsus known as the father of modern pharmacology stressed the tonic value of wine and invented the word alcohol
1493-1541
BEGINNINGS OF MODERN MEDICINE (1543- ca. 1850)
The publication of "De corporis humani fabrica" by Andreas Vesalius marked the beginning of an important era in medicine, an era which witnessed many departures from tradition and in which the foundations for the scientific age were laid
1543
Ambroise Pare used wine as a tonic and to dress wounds
1510-1590
Richard Wiseman wrote on the medicinal uses of wine in his textbook of surgery
1622-1676
Sir John Haryngton published the first English translation of the "Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum"
1607
Era of dispensatories and pharmacopoeias established by Valerius Cordus
1546
Wine as official therapeutic agents depicted in:
The Pharmacopoeia of London
1618
The Pharmacopoeia of Amsterdam
1636
The Pharmacopoeia of Paris
1639
The Pharmacopoeia of Spain
1651
The Pharmacopoeia of Brussels
1671
The Complete English Dispensatory
1741
The Pharmacopoeia of Russia
1778
Codex Medicamentarius of France
1819
The Pharmacopoeia of the United States
1820
The inclusion of many of the theriacs in the dispensatories and pharmacopoeias led to a polemic which resulted in the final demise of the theriacs.
DeDiemerbroeck published his defense of the theriac
1646
Dr. Hodges recommended sherry-sack as a preventative of the plague
1665
Wine remains as an important therapeutic agent:
An anonymous author (a fellow of the Colleges) published an essay on the preference of wine to water
1724
Heberden gave the final blow to the theriacs in "Antitheriaka"
1745
Loebenstein-Lobel published a treatise on the uses and effects of wine
1817
Henderson published "A History of Ancient and Modern Wines"
1824
Charcot discussed the clinical uses of wine in "Traite de Medecine"
1825
The Pharmacopoeia Universalis of Heidelberg listed 175 wines
1835
The London Pharmacopoeia included a description of wines and their medicinal uses
1835
The Pharmacopoeia Universelle of Paris listed 164 wines
1840
The new edition of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia added port and sherry
1850
The British Pharmacopoeia, revised edition, included sherry and other medicated wines
1851
McMullen published a "Handbook of Wines"
1852
Mulder published a chemical analyses of the constituents of wine
1857
AUSTRALIAN ERA
1787-
Surgeon White uses wine as main medicine for convicts in First Fleet to Australia
1787
Dr. Redfern letter to Governor Macquarie about use of wine as medicine for convicts
1814
Wine used in convict ships and later migrant ships bound for Australia
1815
Redfern- first Australian medical vigneron or wine doctor with planting Campbellfields vineyard
1818
Dr. Lindeman - founded Lindeman Wines
1841
Dr. Penfold - founded Penfold Wines
1842
Dr. Kelly - founded Hardy's Wines
1843
Dr. Angove - founded Angoves
1889
Lunatic asylum vineyards in Australia began
1870
Dr. Lindeman letter to N.S.W. Medial Journal "Wine as a Therapeutic Agent and why it should become out national beverage"
1871
Dr. William Cleland speech "Some remarks upon wine as a food and its production"
1880
Dr. Thomas Fiaschi lecture "The various Wines used in Sickeness and Convalescence"
1906
THE MODERN EPOCH (1850-Present)
1813-78 - The experimental method in physiology introduced by Claude Bernard
Scientists became absorbed in the study of alcohol and alcoholic beverages, including detailed studies of wine:
1857 - Claude Bernard studied the effect of pure alcohol on digestion
1857 - Pasteur described fermentation
1861 - Trousseau discussed the medical uses of wine in "Clinque Medicale"
1870 - Dr. Anstie published his comprehensive work on the therapeutic uses of wine
1870-71 - Parkes and Wollowicz published the first study on the physiological effects of wine
1880 - Carles investigated the iron content of wines
1882 - Buchner published the first comparative study detailing the effects of wine, beer, and alcohol on the stomach
1892 - Alois Pick published his findings on the bactericidal effects of wines
1893-97 - Krautwig and Vogel published a study on physiological effects of various alcoholic beverages on respiration
1898 - Chittenden and co-workers investigated the effect of wines and spirits on the alimentary tract
1899 - Wendelstadt published his findings on the effect of wines on respiration
1906 - Benedict and Torok investigated the role of wine in diabetic diets
1906 - Neubauer published findings on the use of wine in diabetes
1906 - Kast reported on gastric digestion and the effect of wine and alcohol on the diet
1907 - Sabrazes and Marcandier published their results on the bactericidal properties of wine
1910 - Pavlov demonstrated the appetite-stimulation effect of wine
1911 - Carles reported on the diuretic action of wines
1916 - Carlson published his findings relative to the effects of wine on hunger
1919 - Sir Edward Mellanby published findings on the physiological and dietetic effects of alcohol and alcoholic beverages
1919 - Koutetaladze isolated an amine, a coronary stimulant, from wine
1921 - Haneborg investigated the effect of alcoholic beverages on digestion
1926 - Pearl first to prove in Alcohol and Longevity - that moderate drinkers live longer
1928 - Lucille Randoin published findings on vitamin content of wines
1929 - Loeper and co-workers reported on the effects of wine on the liver
1933 - Winsor and Strongin reported on the effects of wine in salivary digestion
1934 - Soula and Baisset investigated the effect of wine on the blood sugar level
1936 - Fessler and Mrak reported on the effects of wine on urinary acidity
1937 - U.S. Dispensatory deleted all wines
1938 - Remlinger and Bailly reported on bactericidal effects of wines
1939 - Flavier demonstrated nutritionally important amounts of vitamin B in wines
1939 - Morgan reported on vitamins in wine
1942 - Newman published findings on the absorption of wine
1946 - Ogden studied the influence of wine on gastric acidity
1950-53 - Goetzl and co-workers reported on wine as an appetite stimulant
1952 - Lolli and co-workers reported on the relation between wine in the diet and the carbohydrate intake
1952 - Castor reported on B vitamins in wines
1953 - Flanzy published a study of the comparative physiological effects of wine and alcohol
1953 - Gardner presented findings on bactericidal property of wines
1957 - Hall and co-workers reported on the effect of wine on cholesterol metabolism
1957 - Engleman published findings on the relationship between wine and gout
1960 - Macquelier and Jensen reported on the bactericidal activity of red wines
1960 - Pratt and co-workers published findings on the grape anthocyanins
1960 - Althausen and co-workers reported on the effect of wine on vitamin A absorption
1960 - French Codex listed 7 wines
1961 - Balboni discussed the role of wine in obesity
1961 - Carborne reported on the relation of wine to cirrhosis of the liver
1961 - Masquelier published findings on the polyphenols of red wine as a cholesterol-reducing agent
1988 - Henneckens and Stamfer - showed moderate alcohol consumption reduces coronary disease and stroke in women
1991 - Rimm - showed inverse relationship between alcohol consumption and coronary disease
1992 - Renaud published the French Paradox
1994 - Doll published British doctor heart study
1995 - Groenbaek published Copenhagen Study - first to compare health effects of beer, wine and spirits
1997 - Orgogozo - showed moderate wine consumption reduced dementia
1998 - Doll - one for the heart study showed society better off with alcohol in moderation than not due to lower total death rates i.e. beneficial effects outweigh harmful effects in moderation
1999 - Bertelli showed resveratrol stimulates mapkinase thus preventing neurodegenerative disease
1999 - Pezzuto and Renaud show wine reduces cancer