Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/6352/1/The-Nineteenth-Century--The-Beginnings-of-Modern-Medicine-Part-1.html

Before the early parts of the 19th century, medicine was pretty much still in the dark ages. Some strides had been made, but it wasn’t until the Medical Revolution that things began to change. It came out of the Industrial Revolution and the discovery that disease was caused by microorganisms. With the ability to mass produce new medicines in pill form and create anesthetics, health care took on a new form and would lead to some of the greatest discoveries in human history, like vaccinations and antibiotics.

Want more details? Check out 25 Incredible Medicines That Have Changed World.