Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Ideas About the Cause of Disease in Modern Britain (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Progress in Modern Ideas about the Causes of Disease - Timeline & Summary
The understanding of disease causes continued to progress into the 20th century. Pasteur's Germ Theory identified germs as a major cause of diseases. Modern scientists developed cures for epidemic diseases like diphtheria. This limited the amount and impact of epidemic diseases in the 20th and 21st centuries.
In the 1950s scientists discovered germs are not responsible for all diseases. People could be born with their illness. Crick and Watson's discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. This discovery allowed scientists to understand how parents could pass down genes to their children. The exploration into the human genome continues today. Scientists believe that studying DNA will unlock the secrets to the cures for other diseases like cancer. Methods to eliminate genetic diseases from society may develop from this understanding.
Another factor in causes of disease is a person's lifestyle. Modern people understand the need to look after their health. Some of these ideas were also present in Medieval thinking in Regimen Sanitatis. People now understand the scientific reasons why habits like smoking or eating excess sugar can result in conditions such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. This knowledge allows people to take preventative methods to avoid developing these diseases.
There were many advances in technology during the 1900s. The development of X-ray machines and CT scans allow the examination of internal organs without the use of surgery. ECGs and blood pressure monitors help to diagnose issues with the heart and circulation. Blood tests and blood sugar monitoring can indicate when levels of substances in the blood are too high. Technology has vastly improved the accuracy of diagnosis. Doctors make use of laboratories to test biopsies and samples provided by patients.
Understanding of the causes of disease continues to develop. Some diseases like cancer are too complex for modern medicine to fully understand. Genetic analysis provides insight into the cause of diseases but has little practical application to treatments and prevention. Epidemic diseases continue to affect society such as COVID-19 in 2020.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
As the name of the topic is Medicine in Britain, c.1250-present, there is no end time limit. Use your own knowledge and experiences of medicine today in an exam question. An example of a disease like COVID-19 is a fantastic piece of evidence in a modern medicine exam answer about the cause of disease, treatment and prevention.
DNA & The Influence of Genetics on Disease
Watson, Crick and the Discovery of the Human Genome
Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins produced an x-ray image of DNA in 1951
Francis Crick (an English scientist) and James Watson (an American scientist) worked together at Cambridge University
They had a shared interest in discovering more about human biology
After seeing Franklin and Wilkins' x-ray of DNA, Crick and Watson began their work into the structure of DNA
Franklin corrected Crick and Watson's first model of DNA
Wilkins provided clearer photographs of DNA
Crick and Watson discovered that DNA has a double helix structure
They theorised that DNA could 'unzip' to create further copies of itself
They published their paper in April 1953
The Human Genome Project
Mapping the potential combinations of DNA was vital to discovering the cause of hereditary diseases like haemophilia
Watson launched the Human Genome Project in 1990
Eighteen teams of scientists across the world worked together to plot the human genome
They did not complete their first draft until 2000
Scientists could use the genome to understand what combinations of DNA cause hereditary disease
A woman with the BRCA gene in her DNA has an increased chance of developing breast cancer
The actress Angelina Jolie has the BRCA gene and chose to have a mastectomy
Factors that Helped the Development of Genetics
Factor | Reason why it helped the development of genetics |
Technology | The electron microscope, created by Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll in 1931, works by lighting samples through beams of electrons. It can produce an image at 10 million times magnification whereas an optical microscope can only magnify the original image by 2000 times. This helped scientists see DNA and study its structure |
Science | Members of the scientific community across the world collaborated together to construct the human genome. They made this knowledge public to ensure as many people as possible benefitted from their discovery |
The Limitation of DNA
Most treatments are not based on the understanding of DNA
Doctors now understand the causes of disease better. Treatments using DNA are in the very early stages of development
Genetic therapy is a rapidly advancing area of science which researches using DNA to create treatments
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Genetic therapy is an exciting field of science which, within your lifetime, will create treatments for genetic diseases. There are already successful cases of genetic therapy. For example, scientists discovered the RPE65 gene caused severe sight loss and blindness. In 2017, Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire used the gene to develop an injection that restored people's vision. There will be many more examples of successful applications of gene therapy in the future.
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the Human Genome Project
2 marks
Answers:
The Human Genome Project was started by James Watson (1). It aimed to expand the understanding of DNA after his discovery of the double-helix structure in 1953 (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
Ensure you make your detail as specific as possible to access all 2 marks. The details of this example include the structure of DNA and the date.
The Influence of Lifestyle on Disease
By the 1950s, scientists began to understand how a person's lifestyle could affect their health
As new habits develop in the 21st century, scientists continue to research the potential impact on health
Smoking
It was fashionable to smoke in the 1920s
In 1950, a study was conducted which demonstrated an increase in lung cancer rates among people who smoked
It found that men were more likely to develop lung cancer than women as they smoked more often
Doctors and scientists now know that smoking increases the risk of developing:
High blood pressure
Lung, throat and mouth cancers
Heart disease
Tooth decay and gum disease
Studies in the late 1990s/early 2000s discovered the risk of second-hand smoking
Second-hand smokers do not smoke cigarettes themselves. They breathe in tobacco smoke from a person smoking in the same room
Second-hand smokers are more likely to develop asthma and lung cancers than those who are not around cigarette smoke
Examiner Tips and Tricks
There is a new trend for people to vape rather than smoke. You can use vaping in an exam answer on how lifestyle impacts the causes of disease. Be careful not to overstate the dangers of this habit. Scientists do not fully understand the long-term impacts of vaping but early research states it could include addiction and lung conditions.
Diet
People in the Medieval times recognised the importance of diet
Books like Regimen Sanitatis and The theory of the Four Humours wrote about the dangers of over-eating and the healing properties of certain food
In the 21st century, the science behind why a healthy diet is important is now understood
Too much sugar can cause Type 2 diabetes
Food high in saturated fats can lead to heart disease
People can develop illnesses if their diet doesn't contain the required levels of vitamins and minerals
A diet which lacks iron-rich foods such as meat, beans and leafy greens can cause iron deficiency anaemia
The Influence of Other Lifestyle Factors
Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to liver and kidney problems
Sharing bodily fluids
Unprotected sex or using infected needles can increase the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV
Tanning
Using tanning beds or overexposure to the sun can lead to skin cancers
Medical Scans & Blood Tests
Technology has greatly progressed since 1900 which helps with the diagnosis of diseases:
Technology | Date | How does it help with diagnosis? |
Blood tests | 1930s | Doctors can use a sample of blood to diagnose a range of conditions without the use of surgery |
Blood pressure monitors | 1880s | It indicates high or low blood pressure, allowing doctors to treat with the correct medications |
Blood sugar monitoring | 1960s | A person's blood sugar can be checked to see if they suffer from diabetes and regulate their insulin levels |
X-rays | 1890s | Doctors can use x-rays to diagnose broken bones without cutting into the body |
MRI scans | 1970s | MRI scans can diagnose soft tissue damage by using magnets and radio waves to create an image |
CT scans | 1970s | A more advanced version than an x-ray. PET-CT scans are even more accurate and can be used to distinguish between cancerous and benign tumours |
Ultrasound scans | 1940s | Ultrasounds use sound waves to show the inside of the body. Doctors use these to diagnose gallstones |
ECGs | 1900s | This stands for Electro Cardiograms. The machine can monitor heart activity and check for irregular heartbeats |
Endoscopes | 1900s | A camera on a flexible tube which can be fed through the body. Doctors use them to investigate stomach or swallowing issues |
Worked Example
Explain one way in which methods of diagnosis in the Renaissance were different to methods of diagnosis in the 20th century
4 marks
Answers:
One way in which methods of diagnosis were different from the Renaissance to the Modern period was the use of technology (1)
In the Renaissance, physicians relied upon observing a patient's symptoms before diagnosing their illness (1)
Whereas, in the 20th century, doctors have a wide range of technology to help them diagnose a patient. For example, CT scans help diagnose if a patient has a tumour (1)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In this style of question, you must either identify a similarity or a difference between the two time periods. To answer this question well, make sure that you:
Identify a clear similarity or difference
Give a clear example from both time periods
Use words like 'Similarly' or 'Whereas' to compare the two time periods
Self Monitoring of Health
In the 21st century, people are much more able to monitor and control their health
Technology like blood sugar monitoring allows patients to check their blood sugar
They can administer insulin themselves through injections or automated insulin pumps
Knowledge about how disease spreads allows people to limit their contact with bacteria
Antibacterial hand gel, masks and gloves were popular methods of prevention during COVID-19
Understanding the impact of lifestyle on health means that people can take preventative action to try to avoid becoming ill
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