General Knowledge MCQs
Topic Notes: General Knowledge
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
21
Which medical device delivers an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm?
Answer:
Defibrillator
A defibrillator stops the chaotic rhythm (fibrillation) of the heart, allowing the sinus node to re-establish a normal rhythm.
22
Who pioneered the use of ether as a surgical anesthetic in 1846?
Answer:
William T.G. Morton
Dentist William T.G. Morton publicly demonstrated the use of ether for surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital (the 'Ether Dome').
23
Which severe protein-energy malnutrition is characterized by a distended abdomen (potbelly)?
Answer:
Kwashiorkor
Kwashiorkor is a form of malnutrition caused by a lack of protein in the diet, leading to fluid retention and a swollen belly.
24
What is 'Telemedicine'?
Answer:
The remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of telecommunications technology
Telemedicine allows health care professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients at a distance using video conferencing and other technologies.
25
Which organization is known by the acronym UNICEF?
Answer:
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund
UNICEF (now the United Nations Children's Fund) works to provide humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide.
26
What is the medical term for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death?
Answer:
Autopsy
An autopsy (also known as a necropsy) is a surgical procedure aimed at determining the cause of death.
27
Which asymptomatic carrier is famous for infecting people with typhoid fever in New York?
Answer:
Typhoid Mary
Mary Mallon ('Typhoid Mary') was a cook who carried *Salmonella typhi* but showed no symptoms, infecting dozens of people.
28
What is the 'Black Death' bacterium carried by fleas on rats?
Answer:
Yersinia pestis
*Yersinia pestis* is the bacterium responsible for the bubonic plague.
29
Who discovered the ABO blood groups in 1901?
Answer:
Karl Landsteiner
Landsteiner discovered that blood from different people could be incompatible, leading to the classification of blood types.
30
Goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland often caused by a deficiency of:
Answer:
Iodine
Iodine deficiency causes the thyroid gland to enlarge in an attempt to capture more iodine from the blood.