Eminent Members Research Articles

The Civil War Letters of Dr. Daniel Garrison Brinton, Surgeon in Charge at the US Army General Hospital in Quincy

The Civil War Letters of Dr. Daniel Garrison Brinton, Surgeon in Charge at the US Army General Hospital in Quincy

Re-enforcing Bridges between Different Medical Research Fields

Welcome to the first issue of “Advances in Medical, Pharmaceutical and Dental Research, AMPDR”, a new international, peer-reviewed journal published by the Arab Academy for Science Technology & Maritime Transport (AASTMT) Publishing Centre. The journal comprises three main sections: Medical and Clinical Research section which serves all fields of medical and clinical practice, Advanced Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Experimental and Applied Dental research. Original research papers, review articles and case reports are welcomed. The journal equally encourages recommendations for special issues covering hot medical topics and findings of national and international importance. As the title suggests, the AMPDR journal welcomes contributions from various health-related fields, but more importantly, inter- and multi- disciplinary research in these fields along with technological advances which nowadays contribute to all fields of research. Recently, AASTMT embarked on establishing faculties in various medical sciences such as Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry. Fortunately, this couldn’t come at a better time now that the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic showcased how advances in medical research could be the center of attention worldwide. This calls for establishing AMPDR to highlight the ever-increasing demand to publish findings in different specialties related to healthcare and medical field. Based on the growing support of the Interdisciplinary research as having as a main goal to “advance fundamental understanding or to solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice” [1], we believe that combining and presenting contemporary research findings by different teams from different medical research interests not only give change to widen the scope of knowledge but also provides chance to integrate information, techniques, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories, for the advancement of medical practice. AMPDR has an ultimate goal to become a major international publication hub for medical sciences. Our journal has compiled a list of renowned scientists as member of the editorial board, which contribute and enrich the journal with their vast experience in different fields of interest. As editorial team, we give special and indispensable respect to academic integrity, ethics in clinical studies to be in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki [2] and its later amendments, as well as welfare of experimental animal use in research and 3Rs principle [3]. By the launch of this journal, AASTMT also continues its everlasting efforts in embracing the sustainable development goals of UN, by not only promoting health and well-being, medical care, sports facilities, healthy environment, national and international cooperation in the field of health promotion and education, but also by supporting research, innovation and exchange of professional expertise in this field and present it nationally and internationally. We are committed to make AMPDR a leading international journal in all aspects of medical fields, and we rely on our valued contributing authors, reviewers and eminent members of our editorial and advisory board. Thank you for considering AMPDR in your professional reading list and for your next contribution.

Reviving Indian Tourism amid the Covid-19 pandemic: Challenges and workable solutions

This conference communication discusses insights from the roundtable discussion for reviving tourism in the post-pandemic era, conducted by the Centre for Marketing in Emerging Economies at the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, India. A varied group of eminent members from government, industry, and academia deliberated on the challenges, possible solutions, and way forward with regard to reviving the tourism sector amidst Covid-19 uncertainties. Major outcomes emerging from a roundtable discussion among experts were textually analysed. A survey was conducted among attendees to assess the degree of willingness to travel and related concerns. A framework was developed with a workable action plan for boosting tourism. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are provided. • Presents a framework of seven steps to revive tourism in post-pandemic era. • Focus on digital media, government financial support, auditing, and vocal for local. • Develop faith, medical and eco-tourism, employee motivation and hygiene practices. • Presents communication plan to promote tourism based for four customer segments.

Letter from the Editor

Dear Comedia Performance Readers,The Coronavirus has upended the nation and the world, and it has played havoc with Comedia Performance as well. Universities, libraries, and theaters are closed, making it difficult for scholars to do research. Many of our members are struggling to prepare online courses while stuck at home with children in need of supervision. Others have had to contend with health issues. Yet we have forged ahead, putting out our 2021 issue in spite of the difficulties.Unsurprisingly, there have been some changes. We have fewer theater reviews than usual. Online performances have been sparse, and those that are available have not inspired much commentary. On the other hand, we do have an unusually robust assortment of book reviews and three thought-provoking interviews.We have also added a new section to the journal: The Forum. This section consists of conversations with established scholars on different topics relevant to comedia performance—directing, reviewing, translating, teaching, etc. The Forum is different from the Interviews section edited by Michael McGrath in that it does not focus on particular productions (although specific productions are sometimes mentioned), but rather, on general questions of interest to the profession. This issue features conversations with scholar-director Isaac Benabu, who discusses his approach to directing as well as existing trends in comedia production, and scholar-critic Susan L. Fischer, who discusses the performance review process.This year, the AHCT has lost two of our most eminent members—founder David Gitlitz, who died of COVID-19 on December 30, 2020, and distinguished scholar Thomas O’Connor, who passed away on June 19, 2020. (See Appreciations by Bruce Burningham and Sharon Voros in this issue.)Our 2022 issue will be guest edited by Erin Cowling, Esther Fernández, and Glenda Nieto-Cuebas. I will be back with you, Dios mediante, in 2023.Best wishes to all for a safe, healthy, and productive 2021, Bárbara Mujica, Editor

In Memoriam – Dr. Leon M. Payawan Jr.

On September 25, 2020, the Philippine chemistry society lost one of its most eminent members. Herein we reflect on the life and work of Dr. Leon M. Payawan Jr., referred to as Leon by his close friends and colleagues. We highlight some of his contributions that left a huge impact, not only to his students and cohorts, but also to the Philippine research community in general, both locally and internationally.

‘Brightening their leisure hours’? The experiment of BBC Women's Hour, 1923–1925

ABSTRACTOn 2 May 1923, the newly established BBC, launched Women's Hour, a daily bespoke programme aimed at its female audience produced by Ella Fitzgerald, a former Fleet Street journalist. In December 1923 a Women's Advisory Committee (WAC) was established to represent women's interests at the BBC with eminent members who included the Chairman of the National Federation of Women's’ Institutes, Lady Denman; the actress Dorothea Baird and the physician Elizabeth Sloan Chesser. The WAC, working with Fitzgerald and other BBC officials, introduced into Women's Hour an innovative range of programme ideas. It also prompted a debate about the premise of the programme, whether it should be about domesticity or provide escapism from the ‘common task’ of housework. In addition the WAC challenged the Women's Hour name. Through a consideration of the programme and the WAC, both of which were short-lived, this article explores how the BBC sought to address its female audience in the early 1920s.

The Department of Neurosurgery, Grant Medical College and Sir J.J Group of Hospitals, Mumbai.

The Department of Neurosurgery was founded in the Grant Medical College, Mumbai, in the year 1958, and is celebrating its 60th anniversary. The history of Neurosurgery in this Institute is synonymous with the history of Neurosurgery in the state as this was one of the first government medical colleges to start a Neurosurgery Department within the state. The students after undergoing their rigorous training in the department, went on to establish advanced neurosurgical centers throughout Maharasthra and in several other parts of the country. The patients opt for this institution to get a standard of care that may be comparable with the highest standards prevalent, and the students achieve their goal of getting excellent education in Neurosurgery at par with the best institutes of the world. The department has, therefore, over the years, established its place in the country as a premier training facility and an epitome of medical excellence. This article traces the illustrious history of the Department of Neurosurgery, Grant Medical College and Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, and also of the eminent faculty members and residents, who helped in advancing the standards of Neurosurgery in the region as well as the rest of India.

Historical impact in psychology differs between demographic groups

Abstract Psychology has a long tradition of creating lists of the most eminent members of the discipline. Such lists are typically created under the assumption that there is a general answer to the question of eminence, covering all psychologists everywhere. We wondered, however, to what degree perceived eminence depends on the individual's particular demographic situation. Specifically, are different historical figures “eminent” to people of different genders, ages, and geographical locations? We tested this by asking a wide swath of people – mostly psychologists – who they think has had the most impact on the discipline of psychology, historically. We used an online game in which “players” were shown a series of pairs of significant figures from psychology's past and asked to select which had had the greater impact. We then converted these selections into a ranked list using the Elo rating system. Although our overall rankings had considerable similarity with traditional efforts, we also found that rankings differed markedly among different demographic groups, undermining the assumption of a general measure of eminence that is valid for all.

An experimental 'Life' for an experimental life: Richard Waller's biography of Robert Hooke (1705).

Richard Waller's 'Life of Dr Robert Hooke', prefixed to his edition of Hooke's Posthumous Works (1705), is an important source for the life of one of the most eminent members of the early Royal Society. It also has the distinction of being one of the earliest biographies of a man of science to be published in English. I argue that it is in fact the first biography to embrace the subject's natural-philosophical work as the centre of his life, and I investigate Waller's reasons for adopting this strategy and his struggle with the problem of how to represent an early experimental philosopher in print. I suggest that Waller eschews the 'Christian philosopher' tradition of contemporary biography - partly because of the unusually diverse and fragmentary nature of Hooke's intellectual output - and draws instead upon the structure of the Royal Society's archive as a means of organizing and understanding Hooke's life. The most quoted phrase from Waller's biography is that Hooke became 'to a crime close and reserved' in later life; this essay argues that Waller's biographical sketch was fashioned in order to undo the effects of that reserve. In modelling his approach very closely on the structure of the society's records he was principally concerned with making Hooke's work and biography accessible, intelligible and useful to the fellowship in a context familiar to them, a context which had provided the institutional framework for most of Hooke's adult life. I argue that Waller's 'Life' was also intended to make the largest claims for Hooke's intellectual standing that the author dared in the context of the enmity between Hooke and Isaac Newton once the latter became president of the Royal Society. However, I also adduce fresh manuscript evidence that Waller actually compiled, but did not publish, a defence of Hooke's claim to have discovered the inverse square law of gravity, allowing us to glimpse a much more assertive biography of Hooke than the published version.

Političke prilike u Banskoj Hrvatskoj na početku Prvoga svjetskog rata

On the bases of relevant literature, newspaper articles and authentic documents dating from the beginning of the First World War, the author made an effort to answer the question whether the accusations of the military authorities against the Croat-Serb coalition were justified. In other words, the goal of this work is to establish whether it is right to claim that the eminent members of the Coalition undoubtedly leant towards high treason. After the analysis, the author presumes that it is accurate to say that most of the eminent members of the Coalition were, in the period before the breakout of the First World War, linked to institutions which were based on the Greater-Serbian idea. The author notices that the civil authorities in Croatia not only failed to institute legal proceedings against them, but also ignored to hold them politically accountable and intervened on their behalf. The author concludes that the above mentioned observations reflect the conjugation between the Greater-Hungarian and Greater-Serbian idea, which was formerly noticed by the Croatian historian, sociologist and political scientist Ivo Pilar.

Indian mental concepts: Looking forward

Byline: T. Sathyanarayana Rao, L. Sam. Manickam, Roy. Kallivayalil Only he who can see the invisible, can do the impossible - Frank Gomes. The Beginning When we envisaged this project 2 years ago, we were clear as to what we intended to do. However, as we moved along we realized its complexities as aired by some of the eminent members of the psychiatry community. Though there were differences of opinion among the editorial team, we felt that we have to make a beginning. Over the years of practice of psychiatry in India, we realized that in order to provide effective care of the persons and families with mental disorders, we need to be innovative and inclusive of the diverse cultural setting which we hail from. Therefore, the real art of psychiatry depends on how well one integrates the diversity in one's practice. When we announced this initiative, several eyebrows were raised as to where we are heading to. Though we are not completely content with what we have achieved, but we could see the end of the tunnel after 2 years of incubation. We are hoping that there will be more psychiatrists who would dare to tread the path that we are laying, though it is not easy. The Impetus The models that we have are the steps taken by some of the pioneers in psychiatry who made solo ventures during their times and dared to move forward from the scientific tradition in which we are trained. Concepts that were considered alien to medicine and psychiatry were keenly searched and brought under the fabric of science. One of the treatises that was left unnoticed is ' The Yoga Sutras ' written by Girindrasekhar Bose. [sup][1] Efforts by Vahia, [sup][2] on bringing in Yogic concepts into the main stream has helped develop the branch of Yoga into a wider perspective and now a separate journal of Yoga is being published from India. Guru-Chela relationship that was proposed by Neki [sup][2] made researchers re-look at the doctor-patient and teacher-student relationship in the Asian cultural context. [sup][3] The concept of mind that is referred to in different Indian philosophical schools of thought intrigues many. [sup][4],[5],[6] The Current Effort From the time we launched this project two years ago, we have received numerous articles and many have shown interest to write. Out of the articles that we received, the editorial team has accepted almost half of the submitted articles for publication in this current volume. This decision was based on the pattern and flow of the content, relevance, completeness, and congruity with the basic Indian mental concepts as envisaged for this project. The very important determinant was its application to behavioral sciences, in general and psychiatric practice, in particular. Above all, space constraint had a significant role in the final outcome.. We would like to interact with those authors in future and provide mentorship to the young researchers as well. Some of the authors have considered Indian thoughts, without referring to the Indian treatise but have solely relied on authors from abroad that were available in Google search. However, there are several researchers in India, who have worked on different concepts but those may be in the libraries of different institutions in India or published in journals that are not yet accessible through the net search. Till Indian of Psychiatry was available online and was indexed in PubMed, a lot of Indian research in psychiatry also went unnoticed by the International Community of Psychiatrists. Therefore, we urge those who are interested in the Indian mental concepts to unearth the unpublished doctoral and master level thesis as well as those articles that are published in several Indian journals, including the Journal of Indian Psychology and to scan through the comprehensive list of articles that are available in the ICSSR publication. [sup][7] Some Thoughts The current issue is being brought out as a first volume/supplementary and we look forward to your valuable suggestions, creative and critical comments, and feedback on this initiative, which would help us to develop a guideline for the new authors to explore the Indian mental concepts. …

The plant cell uses carbon nanotubes to build tracheary elements

Since their discovery, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been eminent members of the nanomaterial family. Because of their unique physical, chemical and mechanical properties, they are regarded as new potential materials to bring enormous benefits in cell biology studies. Undoubtedly, the first step to prove the advantages of CNTs is to understand the basic behavior of CNTs inside the cells. In a number of studies, CNTs have been demonstrated as new carrier systems for the delivery of DNA, proteins and therapeutic molecules into living cells. However, post-uptake behavior of CNTs inside the cells has not received much consideration. Utilizing the plant cell model, we have shown in this study that the plant cells, differentiating into tracheary elements, incorporate cup-stacked carbon nanotubes (CSCNTs) into cell structure via oxidative cross-linking of monolignols to the nanotubes surface during lignin biosynthesis. This finding highlights the fate of CNTs inside plant cells and provides an example on how the plant cell can handle internalized carbon nanomaterials.

Sunday's Child? A Memoir by Leslie Baruch Brent

Sunday's Child? A Memoir by Leslie Baruch Brent

Introduction of More Editorial Board Members and Top Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Reviewers

In an ongoing effort to introduce our readers to the eminent members of the editorial board that advises and serves the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine , in this issue we highlight Drs. James M. Gill, Eric M. Wall, and Therese Zink. Dr. Gill received his medical degree from the

Introduction of More Editorial Board Members and New Guest Commentary Feature

In an ongoing effort to introduce our readers to the eminent members of the editorial board that advises and serves the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine , in this issue we highlight Drs. Beverly Green, John Ely, William Alto, and Dean Seehusen. Bill Alto graduated from the

History of the International Association of Procedural Law

The Author presents the history of International Association of Procedural Law, beginning with the first congress of procedural law that took place in 1950 in Florence. He presents the following congresses and symposium, outlining their subject-matter and output, as well as the contribution of the most eminent members of the Association. The composition of the past and current authorities is shown, as well as their plans concerning future congresses and workshops until 2010.

The Merchant Taylors' Company of London under Elizabeth I: Tailors' Guild or Company of Merchants?

Probably the most neglected aspect of the history of the guilds and livery companies of early modern London is the ubiquitous subordinate organisation known as the 'yeomanry' or 'bachelors' company'. Many narrative histories of individual companies make only passing reference to the existence of a yeomanry, and dismiss the organisations as generally transient and insignificant. Per contra, the yeomanry of at least one of the major City livery companies represented to an extraordinary degree a company within a company in the later sixteenth century. By the time Elizabeth ascended the throne, the yeomanry body of the Merchant Taylors' Company had acquired effective responsibility for the vast majority of the Company's membership. To most contemporary and modern observers, the dazzling wealth, magnificent ceremonies and eminent members — entitled to wear the prestigious livery gown of the Company, and generally drawn from the mercantile and civic élite — were the most intriguing aspects of the history of the Merchant Taylors' Company. To the poor freemen below the livery these matters were of less significance. Part I of this article examines briefly the origins, nature and functions of the sub-company. Part II explores the degree to which this body represented the continuation of the traditions of the medieval guild of London tailors and continued to embody the aspirations and interests of its artisan members.

Asa Briggs, A history of the Royal College of Physicians of London, vol. 4, 1948–1983, Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. xii, 486, illus., £60.00 (hardback 0-19-925334-X).

The writing of institutional histories is a notorious poisoned chalice. The unfortunate author is caught in a no-win situation between the Scylla and Charybdis of the expectations of the eminent Members and Fellows and those of academic historians about what constitutes an effective historical treatment. Briggs, as one would expect with his experience and talents, makes a good stab at a readable history (and it is actually possible to read this book all the way through—quite an achievement in itself given the subject matter). However, Briggs is no medical historian and has not attempted to read himself into the literature very far, apart from the standard historiography on the NHS (although there is no Rudolf Klein, no Nicholas Timmins, no Michael Foot and no Bernard Harris). This means that, while the Comitia might be happy with this volume, which is much less full of dry and dusty administrative details than its predecessors by George Clark and Alexander Cooke, it is very unlikely to satisfy any academics. Briggs's attempts to associate this work with academic conventions notwithstanding (see bottom of p. 1373), it addresses none of the key themes in the history of twentieth-century medicine that occupy the academic history of medicine community. Moreover, since Briggs has gone for readability, it is also of limited use as a reference work (the one great strength of those earlier impenetrable volumes). The other main problem with institutional history is what to write about. The RCPL is a medical examining body, but it is also the voice of the metropolitan medical elite and thus carries great weight within medicine and has some policy influence. Briggs does not examine the social/professional/epistemological basis/bases of College power or how it was maintained. He notes the clinical bias but does not comment on the College's position(s) on the relationship between clinic and laboratory. He notes (in the case of George Godber) the interpenetration of government by Members and Fellows, but fails to explore adequately the ramifications of this point. Briggs organizes his material in two ways: specific broad contextual themes (for example, the NHS 1946–68 and 1968–84, ‘Smoking and health’, although in this last there are no references to the work of Virginia Berridge), and catch-all general chapters like ‘Five Presidents’ or ‘Munk's Roll’. These latter are entertaining and methodologically justifiable as prosopography, but are rather anecdotal and break up the flow of the narrative. In the former, Briggs seems to err too much on the side of general context of medical politics, rather than focusing on the role of the College. One can sometimes forget one is reading a history of the College at all, so infrequently is it mentioned. Briggs is cleverly insightful in choosing to dedicate a chapter to “communicating”, although, again there is little acknowledgement of the existing secondary literature (Anne Karpf, Virginia Berridge, Kelly Loughlin, etc.). In general there is a frustrating lack of references for large swathes of text, and a concerning tendency to cite the President's annual addresses rather than detailed minutes of the council and its committees. Surely the latter provide a better way into the day-to-day concerns of such an institution. However, once again these criticisms reflect Briggs's compromises on the book he has chosen to write: it is for the Members and Fellows and not academic historians. Briggs's best chapter is perhaps that on the College's core activity: examining, training, educating. However, here, because of his lack of familiarity with the medical history literature, Briggs, rather ironically, given his over-attention to contextualization elsewhere, does not adequately explain how and why the Colleges developed greater roles in postgraduate medical education and examination. Most obviously lacking is any discussion of the centrality of the Goodenough Report to the evolution of British medical education, and the way it was synchronized with the new NHS to produce a regional educational structure for academic medicine based around the local intellectual powerhouses of universities and university hospitals. There is also no adequate exploration of the way the Colleges responded to specialization. This is dealt with in the literature on postgraduate medical education in the UK, and in some of the more recent histories of UK Royal Colleges. However, there is little evidence in the footnotes that Briggs has read anything about non-London Colleges, and they are certainly exceedingly rarely mentioned and never in any detail. This lack of a comparative perspective is disappointing, but will probably not unduly trouble his core audience. Briggs's book, then, falls between two stools. Such are the perils and potential pitfalls of institutional history; but then Briggs should know that as he has written a well-received history of the BBC, another pillar of the institutional establishment. Could it be that being a famous, readable, popular historian is not the best qualification for writing the history of medical institutions?

Is Chemotherapy Underutilized in the Elderly?

Aging HealthVol. 3, No. 2 EditorialIs chemotherapy underutilized in the elderly?Catherine M Weber & Gilbert B ZulianCatherine M WeberUniversity Hospitals of Geneva, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Centre of Continuous Care, 11 chemin de la Savonnière, CH-1245 Collonge-Bellerive, Switzerland. Search for more papers by this authorEmail the corresponding author at gilbert.zulian@hcuge.ch & Gilbert B Zulian† Author for correspondenceUniversity Hospitals of Geneva, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Centre of Continuous Care, 11 chemin de la Savonnière, CH-1245 Collonge-Bellerive, Switzerland. Search for more papers by this authorEmail the corresponding author at gilbert.zulian@hcuge.chPublished Online:28 Mar 2007https://doi.org/10.2217/1745509X.3.2.135AboutSectionsView ArticleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail View articleBibliography1 Fentiman I, Tirelli U, Monfardini S et al.: Why are elderly cancer patients badly treated? Lancet335,1020–1022 (1990).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar2 Bernardi D, Errante D, Tirelli U, Salvagno L, Bianco A, Fentiman IS: Insight into the treatment of cancer in older patients: developments in the last decade. Cancer Treat. Rev.32,277–288 (2006).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar3 Yancik R, Ries LA: Aging and cancer in America. Demographic and epidemiologic perspectives. Hematol. Oncol. Clin. North Am.14,17–23 (2000).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar4 Maxwell Parkin D: Global cancer statistics in the year 2000. Lancet Oncol.2,533–543 (2001).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar5 Bouchardy C, Rapiti E, Fioretta G et al.: Undertreatment strongly decreases prognosis of breast cancer in elderly women. J. Clin. Oncol.21,3580–3587 (2003).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar6 Walter LC, Covinsky KE: Cancer screening in elderly patients: a framework for individualized decision making. JAMA285,2750–2756 (2001).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar7 Hutchins LF, Unger JM, Crowley JJ, Coltman CA Jr, Albain KS: Underrepresentation of patients 65 years of age or older in cancer-treatment trials. N. Engl. J. Med.341,2061–2067 (1999).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar8 Kemeny MM, Peterson BL, Kornblith AB et al.: Barriers to clinical trial participation by older women with breast cancer. J. Clin. Oncol.21,2268–2275 (2003).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar9 Extermann M, Albrand G, Chen H et al.: Are older French patients as willing as older American patients to undertake chemotherapy? J. Clin. Oncol.21,3214–3219 (2003).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar10 Feugier P, Van Hoof A, Sebban C et al.: Long-term results of the R-CHOP study in the treatment of elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a study by the Groupe d’Etude des Lymphomes de l’Adulte. J. Clin. Oncol.23,4117–4126 (2005).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar11 Pfreundschuh M, Trumper L, Kloess M et al.: Two-weekly or 3-weekly CHOP chemotherapy with or without etoposide for the treatment of elderly patients with aggressive lymphomas: results of the NHL-B2 trial of the DSHNHL. Blood104(3),634–641 (2004).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar12 Muggia FM: Relevance of chemotherapy dose and schedule to outcomes in ovarian cancer. Semin. Oncol.31(6 Suppl. 15),19–24 (2004).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar13 Twelves C, Wong A, Nowacki MP et al.: Capecitabine as adjuvant treatment for Stage III colon cancer. N. Engl. J. Med.352,2696–2704 (2005).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar14 Arriagada R, Bergman B, Dunant A, Pignon JP, Vansteenkiste J: Cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer. The International Adjuvant Lung Cancer Trial Collaborative. N. Engl. J. Med.350,351–360 (2004).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar15 Crivellari D, Bonetti M, Castiglione-Gertsch M et al.: Burdens and benefits of adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil and tamoxifen for elderly patients with breast cancer: the International Breast Cancer Study Group Trial VII. J. Clin. Oncol.18,1412–1422 (2000).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar16 Burdette-Radoux S, Muss HB: Adjuvant chemotherapy in the elderly: whom to treat, what regimen? Oncologist11,234–242 (2006).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar17 Extermann M, Aapro M, Bernabei R et al.: Use of comprehensive geriatric assessment in older cancer patients: recommendations from the task force on CGA of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG). Crit. Rev. Oncol. Hematol.55,241–252 (2005).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar18 Lichtman SM: Chemotherapy in the elderly. Aging Health3(2),165–175 (2007).Link, CAS, Google ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 3, No. 2 Follow us on social media for the latest updates Metrics Downloaded 39 times History Published online 28 March 2007 Published in print April 2007 Information© Future Medicine LtdPDF download

Times of triumph, times of doubt and the battle for public trust

From this book’s slightly puzzling title one would not easily guess that it is a study of ethical issues in relation to genetics, in particular of how good intentions have led to bad, sometimes disastrous outcomes. A number of books on genetics in relation to ethics have appeared in recent years, but this one is diVerent, largely because it takes a historical approach, rather than examining problems from a current perspective. Carlson is a basic geneticist and a historian of science by background; those who have read his superb history of classical genetics, Mendel’s Legacy, and his biography of H. J. Muller, will recognise the depth and rigor that his historical approach brings to the present book. He presents a series of examples where new scientiWc applications have led to clearly ‘bad outcomes’ and tries to uncover the reasons why. For geneticists the most telling of these episodes relate to eugenics, with devastating critiques of the Xaws of the Americans Charles Davenport and Harry Laughlin. Francis Galton, by contrast, escapes perhaps too lightly in Carlson’s evaluation, which also in my view underestimates his scientiWc contributions. Other genetic examples include the suppression of the genetic eVects of radiation and, more recent, issues surrounding prenatal diagnosis, stem cells, cloning and genetically modiWed foods. But Carlson does not conWne his examination to genetic problems, and powerful examples are given from drugs and chemicals (thalidomide, synthetic oestrogens, pesticides) and infectious disease. Carlson shows convincingly that most of the scientists and clinicians involved in these various disasters had largely good intentions, but that these were subverted by a combination of poor science, lack of critical faculty and a range of personality deWciencies, notably desire for prestige and power. Importantly he makes it clear that even the most terrible abuses were perpetrated by relatively ‘ordinary’ people who were often respected and eminent members of the scientiWc community. He also highlights the other side of the coin, the many scientists, geneticists prominently among them, who tried to expose Xawed science and suppressed facts, and who often suVered severely for this, usually on political and religious grounds. He concludes, rightly, that science and scientists, taken as a whole, have been responsible for much more good than harm. This book deserves to form part of all courses involving science and ethics, whether for laboratory scientists and clinicians, or for social scientists. Based on a lecture course for non-science students it is extremely clearly written, thoughtful and full of common-sense, while it adds the historical dimension that is often missing. For those in genetics it is particularly important; it will open readers’ eyes to some disturbing aspects of our science’s past—and may even help in avoiding more ‘bad outcomes’ in the future.