HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY PROFESSION

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

o Also known as Clinical Laboratory Science

o Collection, receipt, preparation, investigation and laboratory analysis of samples of human biological material for
the purpose of supporting patient diagnosis, management and treatment and for the maintenance of health and
wellbeing
o Branch of laboratory medicine which deals with the diagnostic or therapeutic applications of science and
technology.
o A dynamic healthcare profession that deals with the study and practice of diagnostic laboratory medicine.

Anna Fagelson (1961)

The branch of medicine concerned with the performance of laboratory determinations and analyses used in the
diagnosis and treatment of the disease and the maintenance of health.

Ruth Heinemann (1963)

The application of principles of natural, physical, and biological sciences to the performance of laboratory
procedures which aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Walters
The health profession concerned with performing laboratory analyses in view of obtaining information necessary
in the diagnosis and treatment of disease as well as in the maintenance of good health.

Republic Act No. 5527/ The Philippine Medical Technology Act of 1969
An auxiliary branch of laboratory medicine which deals with the examination by various chemical, microscopic,
bacteriologic and other medical laboratory procedures or technique which will aid the physician in the diagnosis, study,
and treatment of disease and in the promotion of health in general.

HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY ON A GLOBAL CONTEXT AND HISTORICAL MILESTONES

460 BC – 370 BC Hippocrates  “Father of Medicine”
 Hippocratic Oath-the code of ethics for practicing physicians.
 Described four "humors" or body fluids in man
(blood, phlegm, yellow bile & black bile)
1550 BC Vivian Herrick, MT  traces the beginning of medical technology
 intestinal parasite such as Taenia and Ascaris were mentioned in early writings
 Ebers Papyrus- book for treatment of diseases
-contains description of the three stages of hookworm infection
1096-1438 Ruth Williams, MT  believes that MT began from the Medieval Period as supported by the fact that
urinalysis (the oldest laboratory procedure”) was a fad
Early Hindu doctors’  scientific observation”- urine of certain individuals attracted ants, and that such urine
has a sweetish taste
600 BC- Hindu physician recorded the sweet taste of diabetic urine

 1674, that the urine in diabetes had a taste similar to honey.

Quacks  reaped fortunes from diagnosing diseases by the appearance for the urine
14th century Anne Fagelson  prefers to date MT from 14th century,
 a prominent Italian physician, Mondino de’ Liuzzi at the University of Bologna employed
one Allesandra Giliani to perform certain tasks now under the domain of the medical
technology profession. Unfortunately, this young lady died from a laboratory acquired
infection
1492 Pope Innocent VIII  first unlucky recipient of blood transfusion

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  blood of three boys was infused into the dying pontiff (through the mouth, as the
concept of circulation and methods for intravenous access did not exist at that time) at
the suggestion of a physician.

1578-1657 William Harvey  discovered blood circulation, the era of blood transfusion started.
1631-1691 Richard Lower  first physician to perform direct transfusion of blood.
 showed it was possible for blood to be transfused from animal to animal.
1643-1704 Jean-Baptiste Denys  notable for having performed the first fully documented human blood transfusion.
 Animal to human
1829 James Blundell  Performed the first successful transfusion of blood to a patient for treatment of
a haemorrhage.
 Human to human

1590 Zacharias Jannsen  developed the first crude model of a compound model microscope
1632-1723 Anton van  invented and improved the compound mircroscope
Leeuwenhoek  first to describe red blood cells to see protozoa, and to classify bacteria according to
shape.
 Father of Microbiology
1628-1694 Marcello Malpighi  the “Greatest of the Early Microscopists”
 works in embryology and anatomy definitely marks him as the “Founder of Pathology”.
1798 Edward Jenner  cross-immunity of smallpox and cowpox
1800 Dr. William Occam  searched and found the answer to the diagnosis of his patients by several means and
part of this process of collection evidence was investigation in the laboratory, and a
large part of the complete picture consisted of laboratory findings.
19th century  production of Aniline dyes
 it became possible to stain bacteria and to study them better under the microscope
1815 Baron Karl Wilhelm  through his leadership, medicine brought in itself a complete revolution by the
von Humboldt development of the physical findings before and after death in establishing an
anatomical pathology and later in adding bacteriology to the elucidation of the causes of
disease and the laboratory examinations
1817- 1886 Jules Duboscq  1854 - developed the first visual colorimeter based on Beer’s Law.
 1902 – introduced in the clinical laboratory.
1821-1902 Rudolf Virchow  One of the youngest of the medical specialist
 Founded the Archives of Pathology in Berlin in 1847
1827–1912 Joseph Lister  Pioneer of antiseptic surgery
 Father of Modern Surgery
1847-1925 Hermann Fehling  Performed the first quantitative test for urine sugar.
1879  First vaccine for cholera.
1880 Louis Pasteur  First attenuated vaccine
1881  develops an anthrax vaccine.
1882  develops a rabies vaccine
1890 Emil von Behring  discovers antitoxins and uses them to develop tetanus and diphtheria vaccines
1895 Wilhelm Conrad  discovers medical use of X-rays in medical imaging
Röntgen
1900 Karl Landsteiner  Noted for having first distinguished the ABO blood group system.
 Blood Typing

1921 Frederick Banting  discover insulin – important for the treatment of diabetes
and Charles Best
1927  First vaccine for tuberculosis
 First vaccine for tetanus
1928 Alexander Fleming  discovered properties in mould that fight bacteria. His discovery of penicillin was one of
the greatest innovations in the history of medicine

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1954 Joseph Murray  performs the first human kidney transplant (on identical twins)

History of Medical technology in the United States

1884 Dr. Silas Douglas  started the first laboratory instruction
 University of Michigan - the first laboratory (chemical laboratory)
 it became the largest and the best equipped chemical laboratory open to students in the
United States.
1854  Medical College of St. Bartholomew.
1858  all part-time practicing clinicians were reinforced as teachers by whole time professional
units applying the new laboratory methods to medical practice and medical teaching at
the University College at Cambridge.
1878 Dr. William H. Welch  established another laboratory at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College.
 he gave the first laboratory course in pathology ever offered in an American Medical
School.
1885  became the first professor of Pathology at John Hopkins University.
Dr. Simon Flexner  the 1st pathologist of the John Hopkins Hospital Department of Pathology
Sir John Scott  obtained significant results in his works in medicine by applying laboratory methods to
Burdon-Sanderson his practice of medicine.
1887  concluded that the use of laboratory methods in Clinical Medicine elucidates
pathological problems.

1896 Dr. William Osler  first clinical laboratory was opened at the John Hopkins Hospital
 routine examination were carried out, special attention being given to the search for
malarial parasite in the blood.”
 A clinical laboratory was also opened at the University of Pennsylvania in 1896 (William
Pepper Laboratory).

1908 Dr. James C. Todd  wrote “A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis” The book was retitled “Clinical Diagnosis by
Laboratory Methods” in 6th edition by Dr. Todd and Dr. Arthur Sanford and then
“Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods”, presently published
under the editorship of Davidson and Henry when the authors died
 This book became the standard reference for laboratories
1900  In census, 100 technicians, all male were employed in the United States. This
increased to 3,500 in 1920. In 1922, 3035 hospitals had clinical laboratories
1911  an Insurance Act was approved and a complete revolution in the development of the
laboratory science as the basis of disease was formally accepted

1915  stated legislature of Pennsylvania enacted a law requiring all hospitals and Institutions
to have an adequate laboratory and to employ a full-time laboratory technician

1914-1918  World War I was an important factor in the growth of the clinical laboratory and
produced a great demand for technicians.

1921  Denver Society of the Clinical Pathologist was organized

 One of the first schools for training workers established at the University of
Minnesota
1922  A course bulletin was entitled “Courses in Medical Technology for Clinical and
Laboratory Technicians” was issued
 University of Minnesota was the first to offer a degree level program believed to be in
1923
1923  American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) was organized.
1936  American Board of Pathology was established.
1939  American Medical Technologists (AMT) was formed
1939-1945  World War II marked effect on laboratory medicine.

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  The use of blood increased and the “closed system” of blood collection was widely
adopted.
 Instrumentation was advanced
 Automated equipment appeared and quality control programs became common place
laboratory medicine certainly moved into an era of sophistication.

1940  the United States required a two-year collegiate education and a twelve-month
actual training in the laboratory for the preparation of this practice.
 A standard curriculum was formalized in 1950 in preparation for a Bachelor of
Science Degree

1967  Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1967 was enacted.

1975  Medical Technologists were required to have a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent
1977  The National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) is a group of
clinicians & laboratory scientists that have grouped together to discuss ways of
improving patient services
1999  the term “Clinical Laboratory Science” is adopted.

HISTORY OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES

At the end of World War II, medical technology practice was introduced to the Philippines by the 26th Medical Laboratory of the 6th
US Army. The US Army established the first clinical laboratory in the Philippines at Quiricada Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila where the Manila
Public Health Laboratory is presently located.
June, 1943  The US Army left clinical laboratory and endorsed it to the National Department of
Health. But the Department rendered the laboratory nonfunctional for some time.
February, 1944  The laboratory offered training programs to high school graduates
October 1, 1945 Dr. Alfredo Pio de  formally organized the Manila Public Health Laboratory
Roda  Dr. de Roda was assisted by Dr. Mariano lcasiano who was then the Manila City
Health Officer.

1947, Dr. Pio de Roda and  the training of high school graduated to work as medical technicians was revised
Dr. Prudencia Sta. under Dr. Pio de Roda and Dr. Prudencia Sta. Ana. No definite period of training was
Ana set and no certificates were given to trainees.

1953 Mrs. Willa Hilgert  Mrs. Mrs. Willa Hilgert-Hedrick was the founder of the Medical Technology
Hedrick Education/course in the Philippines.
 She was an American Seventh Day Adventist missionary to the Philippines and
marred to Dr. Hedrick, the first Medical internist of the Manila Sanitarium and Hospital
(now Manila Adventist Medical Center).
1954 Dr. Prudencia Sta.  a six-month laboratory training with certificate upon completion was given to
Ana trainees.
 Dr. Sta. Ana prepared the syllabus of the training program.
 Later Dr. Tirso Briones joined the two doctors in the training program at the Public
Health Laboratory.
1954 Philippine Union  offered the first four-year B.S. degree in Medical Technology with Manila Sanitarium
College (Manila Adventist Medical Center)

1956 Mr. Jesse Umali  Philippine Union College (now the Adventist University of the Philippines) graduated its
first Medical technology graduate in the person of Mr. Jesse Umali.
 OB-Gyne practitioner and was an owner of Omega Laboratories
1957 Dr. Antonio Gabriel  offered Medical Technology as an elective subject to 4th & 5th year B.S. Pharmacy
& Dr. Gustavo students.
Reyes  Fr. Lorenzo Rodriguez decided to offer it as a course.
June 17, 1957 University of Sto.  a temporary permit was issued by the Department of Education for first to third year
Tomas students
June 1960
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  the permit for the internship program was issued
June 14, 1961.
 full recognition of the 4 – year B.S. Medical Technology course was given
1960 Centro Escolar  Followed in 1960 through the pioneering efforts of Mrs. Purification Sunico-Suaco who
University was granted by the University President Carmen de Luna, to work on the feasibility of
the offering the medical technology course in the university.
 Their first graduates were in 1962.

1961 Far Eastern  started offering B.S. in Medical technology under the College of Medicine.
University  Initiated by Dr. Horacio A. Ylagan and Dr. Serafin J. Juliano.
 The idea was brought to the Advisory Council of the University, hence, by the authority
granted by the late Dr. Lauro H. Panganiban, dean of the Institute of Medicine and Dr.
Jesus Nolasco, Secretary of the Institute.
 FEU School of Medical Technology was finally opened in 1962 under the joint
auspices of the Institute of Medicine (now known as Nicanor Reyes Medical
Foundation) and Institute of Arts and Sciences.
 It produced its first graduates in 1963.
 Formal MT education in the Philippines
University of the Offers the similar course but the degree conferred is B.S. Public Health
Philippines Manila

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