The history of healing and wound care is in many ways a history of humankind. Many basic principles of wound care have been known since 2000 B.C., and some of the most important advances in the field were founded by ancient civilizations. Wounds naturally heal with time, but nomadic hunter-gatherers noticed that certain remedies would speed up the healing process. As towns, cities, and civilizations slowly developed, ancient peoples learned that hygiene, halting of bleeding, and wound dressing techniques had tremendous benefits.
Below is a brief history of Wound Care from ancient civilizations to modern-day medicine.
1500 B.C. – Ancient Egyptians used lint, animal grease, and papyrus as remedies for open wounds. They believed that making sure a person’s wound stayed closed would help their own spirit not be invaded by evil spirits. The Egyptian practice and art of wrapping mummies also had an influence on their understanding of bandaging wounds.
200 A.D. – Ancient Greeks were the first to differentiate between acute and chronic wounds. Galen of Pergamum, a Greek surgeon who served Roman gladiators, was the first to acknowledge the importance of wound closer for faster healing.18th Century – Surgery was not a widely-accepted practice at this point in history, but the demands of war pushed surgeons to test many types of antiseptics, such as hydrogen peroxide, phenol, and Iodine, to help fight wound infection.
19th Century – Robert Wood Johnson, co-founder of Johnson & Johnson, began producing gauze and wound dressings sterilized with dry heat, steam, and pressure. These innovations marked the first major advances in the field since the time of the Egyptians and Greeks.
20th Century – Fibrous synthetic materials such as nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyls were introduced, providing new materials for dressing and protecting wounds. These materials were found to help accelerate the natural wound healing process.
21st Century – Wound Care innovation has evolved to encompass more advanced wound treatments that promote healing, prevent infections, and heal existing infections. More than 5,000 wound care products exist today, and there are over 1,000 clinical wound healing facilities in the U.S. alone that specialize in this area of medicine.
Though the first wound treatments were described hundreds of years ago, only in the past century have we made vast progress in wound care beyond ancient techniques.
Omni International is excited to be part of the advancements and distribution of modern wound care products.
——-
About Omni International
Omni International’s wound care product lines provide optimal patient care and are designed with the health care professional in mind. Our high-quality gauze, non-woven, and adhesive bandage products bring you the same consistent quality you have come to expect and deserve from our glove lines.
Please visit our Wound Care page for more information on our product offerings, or to request a sample.