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? asked in Science & MathematicsBiology · 6 years ago

When did humans develop stronger immune systems?

Before antibiotics were developed, back then, even a small cut could kill you because of infections. But now, even without applying any antibiotics, just smack a bandaid on it and it's no big deal, most of the time. So when in the period of time did we get stronger immune systems than our ancestors? I know it's some time during the 20th century.

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  • 6 years ago

    Our immune systems haven't gotten any stronger. We just have a way of treating infections with antibiotics now. People in the past sometimes survived raging infections without any treatments, but many did die from wounds that aren't considered serious today.

    A person today who gets a cut can still die from infection under the right conditions, especially if the infection doesn't get treatment. With the evolution of antibiotic resistance in several strains of bacteria, dying from a small cut could again be a real possibility.

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