Howell Chapters 6-8

When the blood count first started to become an important part of diagnosing and treating different types of diseases, it was met with skepticism and also greeted warmly. Many people felt that it was quicker and could lead to a more accurate diagnosis, thus potentially increasing the likelihood that the patient could survive. The rise of blood counts helped many patients with life-threatening illnesses survive and recover due to the quick and efficient diagnosis that they received. Though it took many years for a blood count to become a routine part of the original medical screening, it eventually caught on and became as important and possibly more than anything else that was done to the patient. Blood counts at first were done by the naked eye, and then later put onto hemocytometers and done with the microscope. The microscope provided a more efficient way to count the blood, and could help in efficiency and time when those were the most important factors that could save the patient's life. The rise of the Widal reaction also increased those two factors, and helped the blood count rise to be one of the most important ways to diagnose and determine treatment for a sick patient. These two tests saved countless lives, especially from the diseases that were common in the United States at that time, including typhoid, appendicitis, and pneumonia. All of these diseases were widespread, and caused many deaths throughout the nation before the blood count test was created. The blood count test saved many people, and should be considered one of the most important medical discoveries of the 20th century.