History Of Medicine Research Articles

Iodine, Ohio, and Brazil: The cyclical history of medicine.

Iodine, Ohio, and Brazil: The cyclical history of medicine.

On modern Russian scientific schools in the history of medicine and the criteria for their validity

In the second half of the 20th century in the USSR there were two influential schools of medical historians, competing with each other: the school of B.D. Petrov (Department of the History of Medicine of the Research Institute of Healthcare Organization and History of Medicine named after N.A. Semashko) and the school of F.R. Borodulin [Department of the History of Medicine of the First Moscow Medical Institute (Moscow Medical Academy named after I.M. Sechenov)]. With the end of the Soviet era in the history of the country, the influence of these schools also ended. In the 21st century, according to the author, there are also two scientific schools of medical historians functioning in Russia, they were created respectively by Academician A.M. Stochik and Professor V.I.Borodulin. Both schools have no genetic connection with the schools of the twentieth century and successfully continue the development of the scientific history of medicine, interrupted in the 20s of the twentieth century. In his research, the author uses the criteria for the viability of scientific schools proposed by V.I. Borodulin in relation to clinical schools. The decisive criterion is the presence of an original scientific direction developed by the teacher and his students. The author highlights such directions in the work of scientific teams headed by A.M. Stochik and V.I. Borodulin and indicates the leading representatives of these schools. The issues of “registration” of each student in a given school, partial “adjacent” to the school, and affiliated schools are also considered.

Leonard Rowntree, Louis Wilson, Fielding Garrison, and the origins of teaching medical history at the Mayo Clinic

A visiting surgeon described his disappointment with an aspect of the Mayo Clinic in 1914, stating that there was “the almost lack of anything that could be dignified by the term ‘lecture.’” One year later, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research was founded. By 1917, the foundation declared history of medicine a graduate-level subject, and history of medicine questions were included in final oral examinations. In 1920 and 1921, lectures were given on historical topics; however, these lectures petered out, and there were no historical lectures in the official curriculum of 1923 or 1924. Enter Leonard Rowntree, who in 1926 proposed a lecture series on the history of medicine. Rowntree wrote to Fielding Garrison in early 1927 to ask for assistance selecting speakers. The two men corresponded and developed a list of eminent medical historians to invite, including Sir Charles Ballance, William Welch, and Garrison himself. These lectures served to enrich the greater Midwestern medical community as well thanks to Louis Wilson. Then head of the Mayo Foundation, Wilson wrote to nearby institutions to create a lecture circuit for speakers who traveled to the Mayo Clinic. Ultimately, the lectures were published as a book in 1933.

A Timeline of the History of Dentistry.

History of Dentistry starts from the moment the Late Paleolithic Man used a toothpick fashioned from a bone or wood splinter, or the moment our human ancestors began to manipulate the surface of a tooth to remove its retentiveness, so food does not get stuck. That was at least 14,000 years ago, based on available evidence. The current timeline, compiled in this article, is one of many published over the years. However, this timeline incorporates three new strategies. First, it extends to select medical and fundamental dental discoveries, as the History of Dentistry can only be told with the main events within the History of Medicine. Second, it is more detailed (350 entries) than any previous timeline the author has encountered. Third, several critical primary references to support events listed in this timeline characterize this effort. Finally, 130 illustrations are included to improve the visualization of dates. The manuscript also includes a new display of the five main stages of dentistry throughout its history.

Research progress on processing history evolution, chemical constituents, and pharmacological action of Scorpio

Scorpio is a valuable Chinese animal medicine commonly used in clinical practice in China. It is the main drug in the treatment of liver wind internal movement caused by various reasons throughout the history of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), with the effects of relieving wind and spasm, dredging collaterals, relieving pain, and eliminating toxin and mass. Scorpio is poisonous and often used as medicine after processing. There are records of its processing as early as the Song Dynasty. Afterward, there were more than 15 processing methods, including frying with vinegar, neat processing, and stir-frying. After processing, the fishy smell could be removed to correct the taste, and the toxicity could be reduced, which was beneficial to clinical application. At present, the main reported components in Scorpio are protein polypeptides, alkaloids, and lipids, with many pharmacological effects, such as anti-cancer, anti-coagulation, anti-thrombosis, anti-atherosclerosis, and anti-bacteria. In this study, the historical evolution of processing, chemical constituents, and pharmacological action of Scorpio were discussed in order to provide references for the related research on Scorpio.

Ethnomedicinal, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Properties of Diospyros mollis Griff.: A Review

Objective/Background The genus Diospyros L. (Ebenaceae) includes about 778 species worldwide, with over 500 of them known for their significant health benefits. Among them, Diospyros mollis Griff. has been used as a tonic and treatment for many diseases related to digestive disorders and intestinal parasites. Furthermore, the fruit has also been used for dyeing silk fabrics. The purpose of this comprehensive review is to provide researchers with important information about D. mollis, particularly regarding its chemical composition and biological effects. This information can support current understanding and future studies to develop novel herbal formulations based on this species. Additionally, this review aims to compile and summarize the available literature on this species, covering its botanical, ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, and pharmacological properties reported to date. Methods The relevant information on D. mollis was collected via online electronic and databases, including Scopus, Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Springer Link, SciFinder, and other scientific databases. Results A comprehensive review of the literature reveals that D. mollis contains various chemical constituents such as naphthalene and naphthoquinone derivatives, triterpenoids, alkaloids, sterols, glycosides, and fatty acid esters isolated from the berry, root, bark, and leaf of this species, with several pharmacological effects and other applications. Many pharmacological effects, such as hyaluronidase inhibitory, anthelmintic, and antiparasitic activities of various extracts and isolated compounds of D. mollis, are reported in this review. The review demonstrates the importance of D. mollis in the treatment of diseases, its application in fabric dyeing techniques, and its traditional use. Conclusion In conclusion, D. mollis emerges as a promising botanical resource with its rich history in traditional medicine and diverse chemical constituents, paving the way for potential future applications and innovations in the field of herbal medicine and drug development.

The greatest contribution to medical science is the transformation from studying symptoms to studying their causes-the unrelenting legacy of Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur-and a causality perspective to approach a definition of SLE.

The basic initiative related to this study is derived from the fact that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a unique and fertile system science subject. We are, however, still far from understanding its nature. It may be fair to indicate that we are spending more time and resources on studying the complexity of classified SLE than studying the validity of classification criteria. This study represents a theoretical analysis of current instinctual SLE classification criteria based on "the causality principle." The discussion has its basis on the radical scientific traditions introduced by Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur. They announced significant changes in our thinking of disease etiology through the implementation of the modern version of "the causality principle." They influenced all aspects of today's medical concepts and research: the transformation of medical science from studies of symptoms to study their causes, relevant for monosymptomatic diseases as for syndromes. Their studies focused on bacteria as causes of infectious diseases and on how the immune system adapts to control and prevent contagious spreading. This is the most significant paradigm shift in the modern history of medicine and resulted in radical changes in our view of the immune system. They described acquired post-infection immunity and active immunization by antigen-specific vaccines. The paradigm "transformation" has a great theoretical impact also on current studies of autoimmune diseases like SLE: symptoms and their cause(s). In this study, the evolution of SLE classification and diagnostic criteria is discussed from "the causality principle" perspective, and if contemporary SLE classification criteria are as useful as believed today for SLE research. This skepticism is based on the fact that classification criteria are not selected based on cogent causal strategies. The SLE classification criteria do not harmonize with Koch's and Pasteur's causality principle paradigms and not with Witebsky's Koch-derived postulates for autoimmune and infectious diseases. It is not established whether the classification criteria can separate SLE as a "one disease entity" from "SLE-like non-SLE disorders"-the latter in terms of SLE imitations. This is discussed here in terms of weight, rank, and impact of the classification criteria: Do they all originate from "one basic causal etiology"? Probably not.

This Month in Aerospace Medicine History: February.

This Month in Aerospace Medicine History: February.

Introducing and Studying the Materials and Methods of Anesthesia and Analgesia in Ancient Iran.

In ancient Iran, humans have been looking for ways to anesthetize, control, and reduce pain to perform surgeries to treat diseases, which is evident in ancient scientists' medical and nonmedical works. Although modern anesthesia expanded with the introduction of ether into this process, this great success was achieved after years of suffering and with the efforts of scientists throughout history who have played an essential role in advancing this knowledge. In ancient Iran, may (wine) was one of the materials of anesthesia, as in the Avesta, and Minooye Kherad, the properties of wine as an anesthetic are mentioned. Marijuana and Haoma were also used as other substances. The creation of a "hypnotic sponge" in ancient times made general anesthesia and many surgical procedures possible in subsequent centuries. In the history of medicine in Iran, various terms such as Mokhadir (anesthetic), Monavim (sedative), Mosabbit (hypnotic), and Mosakkin (pain relief) have been used to control pain. The purpose of this research was to introduce and study the materials and methods of anesthesia and analgesia in ancient Iran. The results show that anesthesia owes its early progress in part to the works of early Iranian practitioners.

Do you want to be a urologist? Gender differences for medical student perception of urology.

Gender inequality has been prevalent in the history of medicine, specifically within surgical specialties. Though there have been advances, urology has remained overwhelmingly male-dominant, with slow growth in female recruitment. This survey study evaluated whether gender-related differences in the perception of urology are present among future applicants that could account for gender disparity seen in recruitment. An anonymized, online survey was distributed to medical students enrolled at the Max Rady College of Medicine during the 2022-2023 semester. Attracting and deterring survey statements were created using current literature to guide topics of interest. Participants rated each statement using a five-point Likert scale with optional supplemental qualitative responses. Likert ratings were compared using a Mann-U-Whitney calculation between self-identifying male and female participants. We received 90 responses over six weeks, achieving a response rate of 23%. Female students, compared to their male peers, were deterred by factors such as working in a male-dominated specialty (p<0.001) and working with primarily male patients (p<0.001). There were no significant gender-related differences for statements pertaining to interest in surgery, work-life balance, or exposure to urology. In this survey study, the biggest deterrents reported by female medical students to entering urology were working in a male-dominated profession and seeing primarily male patients. There were no significant gender-related differences for questions relating to interest in surgery, work-life balance, and exposure to urology.

The Extraction, Determination, and Bioactivity of Curcumenol: A Comprehensive Review.

Curcuma wenyujin is a member of the Curcuma zedoaria (zedoary, Zingiberaceae) family, which has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) due to its abundant biologically active constituents. Curcumenol, a component of Curcuma wenyujin, has several biological activities. At present, despite different pharmacological activities being reported, the clinical usage of curcumenol remains under investigation. To further determine the characteristics of curcumenol, the extraction, determination, and bioactivity of the compound are summarized in this review. Existing research has reported that curcumenol exerts different pharmacological effects in regard to a variety of diseases, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bactericidal, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer activity, and also ameliorates osteoporosis. This review of curcumenol provides a theoretical basis for further research and clinical applications.

Tracing the journey of poxviruses: insights from history.

The historical significance of the poxviruses is profound, largely due to the enduring impact left by smallpox virus across many centuries. The elimination of smallpox is a remarkable accomplishment in the history of science and medicine, with centuries of devoted efforts resulting in the development and widespread administration of smallpox vaccines. This review provides insight into the pivotal historical events involving medically significant poxviruses. Understanding the remarkable saga of combatting smallpox is crucial, serving as a guidepost for potential future encounters with poxvirus infections. There is a continual need for vigilant observation of poxvirus evolution and spillover from animals to humans, considering the expansive range of susceptible hosts. The recent occurrence of monkeypox cases in non-endemic countries stands as a stark reminder of the ease with which infections can be disseminated through international travel and trade. This backdrop encourages introspection about our journey and the current status of poxvirus research.

Spatiotemporal omics of life energy: Towards medicine of frequencies and terahertz drugs

AbstractThe quantum mechanisms how life efficiently utilizes energy and transmits information remain unclear yet. Frequency medicine, an emerging cross‐discipline of both quantum mechanics and biomedicine, is a promising turning point for biomaterials and medicine developing from the matter level to the energy level. Recognizing the pivotal role of molecular vibrational frequencies in resonant energy coupling and transmission underscores the potential of frequency medicine to precisely regulate biomaterial vibrations, influencing interactions and reactions in living organisms. At present, scientists have unveiled sophisticated phototherapeutics; nevertheless, their advancement necessitates the precise mapping of the life energy. In contrast to genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics studied on the matter level, omics of frequencies related to medicine should be on the energy level. Herein, starting from the history of frequency medicine, and followed by the introduction of vibrational strong coupling applications in life sciences, we emphasize the significance, necessity, and urgency of studying spatiotemporal omics of medicine frequencies. By decoding the energy atlas of life, we can acquire profound insights into the quantum mechanisms that govern life processes from an energy standpoint. We anticipate that the integration of biomaterials with spatiotemporal frequency omics related to medical research will contribute significantly to advancing the goals of precision medicine, potentially revolutionizing pharmaceuticals, such as terahertz drugs.

History of emergency medicine in Bhutan

Emergency medicine in Bhutan has made significant progress in the past few decades and continues to evolve. In this article, we provide valuable insights into the history of emergency medicine at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) and in Bhutan and highlight some of the future challenges we face as we move forward to meet the demands of increased patient volume and complexity.

Bian Que’s Twelve Channels?

Abstract The name Bian Que, like that of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), has reverberated through the development of Chinese medicine since the time of the Warring States. The discovery of a human figurine showing channels and strategic points, together with a number of medical texts, during the excavation of the Laoguanshan Han tomb in Chengdu, Sichuan, in 2012–13 has reignited controversies about whether it is correct to speak of a specific Bian Que school, or whether, as this paper argues, these texts were written by the Han physicians who used Bian Que as a mouthpiece to record their own medical expositions. The paper begins by examining the main characteristics of the Laoguanshan human figurine and discusses what this excavated artifact reveals about the early history of Chinese medicine. It questions the existence of the so-called Bian Que school and, obliquely, the suggested relationships between the school and the figurine and between the school and medical texts found in the same tomb. The paper shows how diverse the disjointed knowledge of medicine was and that the idea of a “school” does not accurately reflect what was happening in the transmission of medical knowledge during the Warring States, Qin, and Han periods (475 BCE–220 CE).

Ivan Vasilyevich Protasov — a guide of the sanitary direction of health care in Perm province (to the 255th anniversary)

This article is dedicated to the 255th anniversary of the birth of Protasov Ivan Vasilyevich — a zemstvo doctor, public figure, professor. The life of I. V. Protasov, a remarkable doctor of the late 18th century, is closely connected with the Urals, where, in addition to the diverse practical work of a county doctor, he was also engaged in scientific research. Here, his practical and scientific activities were most clearly manifested, in which he continued to develop the materialistic traditions in science, laid down by M. V. Lomonosov and such prominent representatives of medical science as S. G. Zybelin, D. S. Samoilovich, N. M. Maksimovich — Ambodik and others. In 1788, after completing his studies at the St. Petersburg land hospital, he served as an assistant doctor in the fleet, then, after passing the exam, as a regimental doctor in a dragoon regiment. Already at that time, while still a young doctor, Protasov understood that the main duty of a doctor is to prevent diseases, and that is why he deeply studies the causes of diseases and seeks to develop preventive measures to prevent the most common diseases among soldiers. From the first steps of his medical activity, I. V. Protasov sought to generalize his practical experience. The whole subsequent life of Ivan Vasilyevich Protasov was associated with medical activities in the Perm province, where he showed himself as an active public figure — he represented the governing body of the provincial health care. True to his preventive principles, he not only treats the population, but also studies in depth the conditions of his life, the incidence of the population and the causes of this incidence. Under the leadership of I. V. Protasov, scientific works on disease prevention, sanitary affairs and the history of medicine were published.

Journey along the edge of the night: the image of the 20th century writer in contemporary foreign cinematography

BACKGROUND: The interdependence of a person's creative abilities and the features of his life order, behavior, state of health, building social communications is widely discussed in literature, art, sociology, psychology, narrative medicine and the history of medicine (in particular, the question of the impact of health and disease on the possibilities of creative work and the reflection in the images and characters of the diseases suffered by the writer, the experience of overcoming the disease is discussed). At the same time, in public discourse, creative abilities are often present (and connected) in the contour of psychological and mental health disorders.&#x0D; AIM: To study the image of a writer of the 20th century, expressed in modern cinema, as the equivalent of the perception by public consciousness of the characteristics of the behavior and thinking of the writer.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out by the method of quantitative content analysis of popular movies and biographies of foreign writers of the 20th century (n=10). The facts and features of deviant behavior and thinking of writers recorded in biographical works and the representation of the writer's image in cinema were compared.&#x0D; RESULTS: The content analysis of the biographies and image of the writer presented in films for the 10 most frequently encountered psychopathological symptoms reflects a much more pronounced frequency of demonstrating the symptoms of the writer's mental health disorder in films (with the exception of the subcategory “depressive thoughts”) than in the actual data of his biography, and the severity of psychopathological symptoms is higher in film images of writers who have never received psychiatric care. Manifestations of maladaptation are shown in films in 9 out of 10 main characters, while the fact of maladaptation of 6 out of 10 writers is actually confirmed. At the same time, the deviant psychological features confirmed in the biography are much less often presented in films, and the greatest discrepancy is observed in the subcategories “feeling depressed” and “excessive impulsiveness”. However, a comparison of the ratio of the frequency of cases of positive, indifferent and negative perception/attitude towards the writer reflected in his biography and presented in films shows that society actually has a more positive attitude towards the writer than is shown in cinema.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The peculiarities of the behavior and creative thinking of writers in the public consciousness are still perceived in many cases as manifestations of mental pathology, while creative people are assigned a special social status that “justifies” the deviation of their lifestyle and behavior from accepted standards. The robustness of the stereotype about the correlation between creative abilities and the presence of psychopathology is largely formed by the heuristics of accessibility.

Hypoglycemic, antidiabetic and toxicological evaluation of leaf extract of Xylopia parviflora (A. rich.) Benth

BackgroundAlmost all Xylopia species have a long history of being used therapeutically in China due to their potent antioxidant properties. Xylopia parviflora (X. parviflora) is a relatively novel plant comprised mainly of beta-pinene, which has a rich history in Chinese medicine and is a principal active constituent in numerous Chinese herbs such as Rakkyo, the Chinese onions, Huasi Baidu Fang and Ru Xiang which are all native to China. ObjectiveThe study evaluated the antidiabetic potentials of the methanol leaf extract of X. parviflora and its toxicity profile. MethodsA modified version of the OECD guidelines was used to conduct acute and sub-chronic toxicity tests on the plant extract. The extract's effects on glucose, haematological, and biochemical components were evaluated using standard procedures. Using glibenclamide (10 mg/kg) and distilled water as positive and negative controls, the extract was tested for its antidiabetic activity in diabetic rats with streptozotocin induction at 50, 150, and 300 mg/kg for 28 days. Furthermore, vital organs underwent histopathological examination. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the Dunnett multiple comparison tests were used for the statistical analysis, with a significance level of p < 0.05 ResultsPreliminary phytochemical analysis of the leaf extract revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids, deoxy-sugars, and anthraquinones. The extract's median lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 2000 mg/kg in mice. Although it significantly reduced blood glucose levels in normal rats at 150 and 300 mg/kg doses, it had no toxic effects on the haematological and biochemical components of the collected blood samples. The extract produced an antidiabetic, non-dose-dependent impact on day seven at all the tested doses in streptozotocin-induced rats. On days 14, 21, and 28, however, glibenclamide and extract activity at all tested doses were comparable. At 200 mg/kg, the extract did not affect the histology of the liver, brain, kidney, or pancreas, but at 400 and 800 mg/kg, it had a slight and severe impact on these organs, respectively. ConclusionAccording to the study's findings, X. parviflora has antihyperglycemic activity and is non-toxic at low doses but may be harmful at high doses.

Investigation of Momordica charantia phytochemicals against PIM1 Kinase: A Computational Approach

Prostate cancer is a significant contributor to male cancer-related mortality. PIM1 kinase has implications in the development and progression of various cancers, particularly prostate cancer. PIM1, a serine/threonine protein kinase plays a crucial role in cellular processes including survival, growth and differentiation. In prostate cancer increased PIM1 expression is associated with a more aggressive phenotype and poorer patient outcomes. It has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for prostate cancer treatment. The development of PIM1 kinase inhibitors has greatly enhanced and progressed significantly. Different stages of clinical trials demonstrating their potential as therapeutic agents. Momordica charantia, or bitter melon has a long history in traditional medicine for various health conditions, it is very rich in secondary metabolites like triterpenoids, glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids and phenolic acids. Bitter melon is considered to have medicinal properties including potential anticancer phytochemicals. This study employs virtual screening, molecular dynamic simulation and ADME/T analysis to explore bitter melon’s phytochemicals and their interaction with PIM1 kinase. The goal is to understand the molecular details and pharmacokinetics of bitter melon compounds evaluating their potential as therapeutic agents against prostate cancer. In our present study, it was found that out of all investigated phytochemicals catechin and gallic acid shows satisfactory result depending upon various parameters taken into consideration for conducting the study.

НАРОДНА МЕДИЦИНА ТА ЇЇ РОЛЬ В ТРАДИЦІЙНІЙ КУЛЬТУРІ УКРАЇНЦІВ: СТИСЛИЙ ІСТОРИЧНИЙ ЕКСКУРС

From generation to generation, the Ukrainian people have passed on to their descendants the rich experience accumulated over many centuries. Subsequent generations have carefully preserved the instructions of their ancestors, trying not to distort their meaning, but rather to develop them further and pass them on to other generations. One of the types of such a truly precious heritage that has come down to our time from the depths of centuries is folk medicine. Traditional medicine is one of the oldest methods of treatment known to mankind. The need to survive in a cruel world, various diseases that required treatment, prompted humanity to seek help from the environment and develop self-medication skills. Ukrainians, like other peoples, widely used herbal treatment, various rituals and other methods of folk medicine. Despite the long existence of the practice of witchcraft, it remained an integral part of the social life of the Ukrainian population in the twentieth century and remains so today, despite the existence of developed official medicine. This article is devoted to the study of historical and ethnic aspects of folk medicine in Ukrainian traditional culture. It aims to highlight the evolution of this complex and multilayered system of Ukrainian folk knowledge and practices, from Kyevan Rus to the present day. Therefore, through the prism of studying the ethnic roots and history of folk medicine in Ukrainian traditional culture, we have the opportunity to better understand the uniqueness and depth of Ukraine’s national heritage, as well as to open new horizons for further research in this area. Ukrainian folk medicine is an integral part of traditional culture. The knowledge and practices accumulated over centuries define the uniqueness of Ukrainian medicine, which combines traditional methods with elements of modern medicine. It has been and continues to be of particular interest to scholars, as it is a complex phenomenon that lies at the intersection of two important scientific fields: medicine and ethnography. In this context, this article is devoted to the study of the ethnic roots and history of medicine in Ukrainian traditional culture.