History of Wound Care, Part 4. "Era of Empiricism"

The early modern period (1453–1850) was characterized by a change in medicine toward empiricism, in which knowledge was gathered via observation and experimentation instead of devotion to ancient writings. Astronomy, physics, and anatomy were among the disciplines that exhibited this trend. Ambroise Pare' made substantial contributions to the field of wound care by campaigning for a novel approach to treating gunshot wounds, which were a new pathology at the time and carried a high death rate. Pare' discovered that traditional ways of treating gunshot wounds with boiling oil were inadequate, so he created a novel remedy utilizing egg yolk, rose oil, and turpentine digestion. Other surgeons adopted this new technique, which signaled a change toward a more scientific approach to surgery.

The medical field also began to move away from the humoral system, which had reigned since Hippocrates. Still, the transition was gradual because none of the proposed alternatives adequately described health and disease. Surgeons believed that wounds had both local and systemic effects, with many noting the deterioration of patients following injury. This decrease was referred to at the time as "wound shock," and its causes were not completely understood. The scientific and empirical approach to medicine and surgery during this era established the groundwork for subsequent advances in the nineteenth century.