Doctors: Questions and Answers

Who was the first doctor?
Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian was the first known doctor. He lived about 2650 B.C. He must have been a good doctor, because he was worshipped like a god.

Who was Hippocrates?
Hippocrates (hip-pah-kraa-tease) was a Greek doctor born about 460 B.C. He is known as the "Father of Medicine". He introduced scientific principles to determine the cause of disease. In his day, magic was often used to treat disease. Hippocrates also kept written records about disease and treatment. He was well known for the Hippocratic Oath - a code of conduct doctors continue to follow to this day.

What is orthopaedics?
Orthopaedics (or-tho-pee-dicks) is a special area of medicine concerned with the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments - also called the musculoskeletal system (musculo - muscles, skeletal = bones)

Why does the doctor tap my knee?
The doctor is looking for a reaction called a reflex. Usually a knee tap will cause the leg to jerk - a good sign. The spinal cord and nerves control reflexes.