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Unraveling the physiology of the autonomic nervous system: An unlikely collaboration between Arturo Rosenblueth and Walter Cannon Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Luke A Schwerdtfeger
This article details the collaboration between Dr Walter B. Cannon (1871–1945) and Dr Arturo Rosenblueth (1900–1970) at the Department of Physiology at Harvard Medical School (HMS) in the 1930s–1940s. Cannon was a renowned physiologist whose Department of Physiology was home to scientists from around the globe. Rosenblueth joined the Department as a Research Fellow in 1930. Over the following 15 years
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A pioneer Turkish urologist-medical historian (Saim Erkun 1901–1949) and his one-century-old review about prostate Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-03-18 Ayhan Verit, Muhammet I Karaman
Saim Erkun (1901–1949) was born in Manisa at Aegean region of Anatolia as an Ottoman citizen. While his early life was spent in late Ottoman times at military actions including military prison camp in British colony; India, his active professional productive period was in early Turkish republic period (Est. 1923, centenary). He had a good education period for medicine with the help of his good level
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Memorials to Dr WG Grace – general practitioner and cricketing legend Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Neil G Snowise
Dr WG Grace was a general practitioner in Bristol, in the late nineteenth century, but is better remembered as ‘the father of cricket’. He showed early promise as a skilled cricket player and was already playing for Gloucester County, by the age of fifteen. However, coming from a well-established medical family, his father wanted him to become a doctor. He trained in Bristol and after qualifying he
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Dr. Russell Davies (1914–1991): Pioneer of theatre recovery and of anaesthetics in Yugoslavia Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-03-11 Holly Elizabeth Webster, Maxwell John Cooper
Dr. Russell Davies is a largely forgotten pioneer of both post-operative theatre recovery but also a key figure in the establishment of anaesthetics services in Yugoslavia in the late 1940s. Davies spent the majority of his career working as an anaesthetist at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, Sussex, England, later being promoted to the head anaesthetist role. Davies set up one of the first
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Consulting in the dark: Robert Hamilton (1749–1830) and the importance of ‘tenderness’ towards patients Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-03-05 Maxwell John Cooper, Carl Fernandes, Sarah Cooper
Robert Hamilton (1749–1830) was born in Coleraine, Ireland, attended medical school in Edinburgh, Scotland, served in the British army and practised in South-East England. In order to differentiate him from his contemporary and namesake, Hamilton is identified by having worked in Ipswich, Suffolk and Colchester, Essex. This submission considers Hamilton's biography, his 1787 book on the British regimental
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Liminality analysis: A conceptual framework applicable to medical biography? Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-02-28 AJ Larner
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A re-assessment of Dr Robert Knox and his contribution to early evolution science Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Ken Donaldson, Christopher Henry
Dr Robert Knox was publicly scorned and disgraced for his unwitting involvement in the Burke and Hare serial murders in 1828. Far less appreciated is his brilliance as an anatomist and he espoused the European movement in Transcendental Anatomy, which aimed to uncover the laws governing what we now know as evolution and the origin of species. Knox fully embraced Transcendental Anatomy during a sojourn
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Lest we forget: Dr Paul Farmer (1959–2022) ‘A Global Health Leader at Harvard’ Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Subham Roy, Sakshi Roy
In the chronicles of medical advancement, Dr Paul Farmer stands out as a transformative figure whose unwavering commitment to healthcare equity has reshaped treatments for the disenfranchised. An American anthropologist and physician, Farmer has had a profound impact on global health which encapsulates a legacy driven by the steadfast belief that healthcare is an inalienable human right. This article
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Zohra Begum Kazi: Pioneering Bengali female doctor and nationalist representation Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Md Anisur Rahman, Md Shafiqur Rahaman
This paper aims to elucidate a comprehensive biographical account of Zohra Begum Kazi, the pioneering Bengali female doctor in Bangladesh. Her professional journey commenced during the British colonial time, achieved prominence during the era of Pakistan, and ultimately reached the pinnacle of her life's accomplishments in the independent Bangladesh. Despite her distinguished medical career, her life
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The statue of Saroj Gupta (1929-2017). Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-11-16 Syed Yusuf Maudidi,Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj,Mahnoor Javed,Priyal Dalal
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Bernard Bornstein (1900-1977): His life and contribution to Polish and Israeli neurology. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-11-16 Avi Ohry,Filip Marcinowski
Bernard Bornstein (1900-1975) was one of a few Polish-Jewish neurologists who escaped the tragic fate of Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland. Educated at the University of Vienna and practicing until the war in Cracow, Bornstein in his scientific work dealt comprehensively with various neurological topics, bringing to Israeli medicine the best of pre-War European neurological diagnostics and combining them
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Lest we forget: Dr Michael Ellis DeBakey (1908-2008). Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-11-10 Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj,Mahnoor Javed
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Dr. Allen Oldfather Whipple (1881-1963): Namesake of the pancreaticoduodenectomy. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-11-09 Ashton D Hall,Julia E Kumar,Jan P Mazur,Alexander J Bondoc,Bruce F Giffin,Whitney K Bryant
Allen O. Whipple was an American surgeon who popularized the pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) for periampullary cancer, which remains the gold standard for pancreatic tumor resections. Whipple was educated at Princeton University (B.S., 1904) and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (M.D., 1908). He swiftly ascended the academic ranks, culminating in his appointment as
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Dolley and James Madison through the lens of medicine, sickness, and health. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-11-07 Jeanne Abrams
The political lives of our founding fathers and mothers have been examined in great detail by many historians, but their experiences with medicine, health, and disease have generally received only cursory attention from most biographers. Yet focusing a lens on their often dramatic encounters with epidemics, disease, and medical treatments of their time lends them a corporeal presence that is absent
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Dr Graham Steell and monaural stethoscopes: Cardiology before the ECG. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-10-05 Peter Dean Mohr
Dr Graham Steell, MB CM MD FRCP (1851-1942), an Edinburgh graduate, was a physician at the Manchester Royal Infirmary (1878-1911) and professor of medicine at the Victoria Manchester University (1907-1911). He is mainly remembered for describing the 'Graham Steel murmur', however his name is also associated with the 'Graham Steell monaural stethoscope', which he designed. His clinical examination of
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Dr. Florence Rena Sabin (1871-1953): Remaking the Face of Medicine. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Ashton D Hall,Julia E Kumar
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Dr Ayub Khan Ommaya (1930-2008): The eventful life of a revolutionary neurosurgeon. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-09-18 Salim Usman,Sakshi Roy,Arjun Ahluwalia,Muhammad Hamza Shah
Dr Ayub Khan Ommaya (1930-2008) was a pioneering figure in the field of neurosurgery, with a particular focus on traumatic brain injury. As history books have held, he was a man of great intellect and vision, possessing a rare combination of scientific rigour and compassionate empathy. One of Dr Ommaya's most notable contributions was his development of the Ommaya reservoir, a device used to deliver
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Epidemic diseases during the World War I and Dr Server Kamil Tokgöz. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Mustafa Sarı
Server Kamil became one of the most prominent doctors during the period of the Ottoman Empirey. Server Kamil, who specialized in bacteriology and sanitation, made a name for himself primarily through his fight in the memories against epidemic diseases on the Caucasus front during World War I. He was sent to the Caucasus front as chief physician of Erzurum Red Crescent (Hilâl-i Ahmer) Hospital, and
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Sir Benjamin William Rycroft OBE (1902-1967): British ophthalmologist and pioneer in corneal surgery. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-08-23 Josh Wilcox,Maxwell Cooper
An unsung hero of British ophthalmology is the largely forgotten Sir Benjamin Rycroft (1902-1967). This paper will discuss and analyse the undervalued career of this great man. Upon graduating from medical school, Rycroft became a General Practitioner. Rycroft then decided to train to become an ophthalmologist. Rycroft began his ophthalmology career in 1930s London focusing on the new ground-breaking
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Journey across the world to study medicine: The Anandi Joshi story. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-08-07 Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj,Priyal Dalal,Joecelyn Kirani Tan,Trishtha Agarwal,Mahnoor Javed
Women faced significant barriers to pursue education in the 19th century, yet modern history has witnessed bold women overcoming insurmountable odds in this quest. To this end, Anandi Joshi braved monumental odds to successfully become the first female physician in India. Born in 1865, Anandi was one of 10 children. Her zeal for knowledge was noted early by her father, who ensured that his daughter
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The Statue of Joseph Guislain (1797-1860): A visionary and pioneer of psychiatric excellence. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-07-31 Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj,Mahnoor Javed
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A 'worthy disciple of Galen', 'ardent sportsman' and 'expert swordsman': Henry Kipping (1726-1785) apothecary and surgeon at Brighton, England. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-07-27 Maxwell J Cooper,Jason Heath
Henry Kipping (1726-1785) was an apothecary and surgeon in Brighton, England. Here we present a series of contemporary references to Kipping from newspaper, book, archive and web-based resources. Some relate to his medical practice (resuscitating a 'drowned' elderly physician and a fisherman, bleeding a member of parliament who had fallen from his horse and praising a nostrum for the 'gravel and stone')
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Women in the medical profession in 1900 from extended maternity to social equity. The life of Lucia Servadio. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-07-27 Silvia Iorio,Fabiola Zurlini,Marco Cilione,Valentina Gazzaniga
The history of social medicine in Italy between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was characterised by a marked presence of gender and the consequent commitment of women of Jewish origin to the issues of early childhood education, as well as safeguarding of work and motherhood and health prevention with regard to social and cultural fragility. Some of the roles of women engaged in social
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Physician and diplomat in the Ottoman palace: Solomon Ben Nathan Ashkenazi (1520-1602). Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-07-27 Menderes Kurt
This study aims to shed light on the role of Solomon ben Nathan Ashkenazi, an Ottoman Jewish physician, in Ottoman diplomacy. Despite being a German-born Jew and practicing medicine for several years, Ashkenazi played a crucial part in Ottoman relations with Venice and Poland after arriving in Istanbul. The study explores how Ashkenazi, a physician by profession, attained the position of diplomat and
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Lest we forget: Dr Lewis John Hurwitz (1926-1971). Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-07-24 Muhammad Hamza Shah,Ashna Arif
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The unknown and misunderstood life of Ruggero Oddi, the pioneer of biliary system physiology. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-07-18 Marco Maovaz,Gabriele Di Sante,Desirée Bartolini,Alessandra Pistilli,Anna Maria Stabile,Mario Rende
Ruggero Oddi was a talented scientist who initiated the modern era of biliary system physiology, not only with the anatomical discovery of the hepatopancreatic sphincter, but also with the detailed description of its spinal center and nerve regulation. However, his personal and scientific life were determined by an incredible series of unfortunate circumstances. Until now most of these events have
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Lest we forget: Dr Wu Lien-Teh (1879-1960). Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-06-04 Anoushka Bucktowar,Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj,Matan Bone
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Statue of Dr. Aletta Henriëtte Jacobs (1854-1929): Physician, Activist, and an Inspiration. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-06-04 Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj,Jack Wellington,Alexander Wellington
Dr Aletta Henriette Jacobs (9 February 1854 to 10 August 1929) was a Dutch physician and advocate of modern-day women's rights, being among the first female clinicians and to formally enrol at a Dutch university. She bolstered the Dutch and international women's movements and pioneered as the first woman to develop a clinic based on contraceptive principles in 1882 internationally. Her legacy has become
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Jean Baptiste Lucien Baudens: The father of trauma laparotomy. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-05-25 David Ray Velez
Jean Baptiste Lucien Baudens (1804-1857) was a French military surgeon. He served in numerous military conflicts throughout his career. Baudens was an innovator and a leader. Going against traditional dogma, he was the first to attempt laparotomy in the setting of trauma. Although the first patient died, his second survived without further complication. Despite this historical landmark, little is known
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Louis Farabeuf (1841-1910): Anatomist and inventor of surgical procedures and instruments. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-05-24 Rafael Romero-Reverón,Theodorakys Marín Fermín
Louis Hubert Farabeuf (1841-1910) was a reformer of clinical, surgical, and topographic human anatomy studies during the second half of the 19th century. Over 30 years as a professor of Anatomy, Farabeuf wrote outstanding anatomical textbooks. As the head of Anatomic Studies in the Faculty of Medicine in Paris, he succeeded in leading a profound restructuring of the way anatomy and surgery were taught
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An ophthalmologist fought against trachoma in Turkey and his books from an archive: Dr Nuri Fehmi Ayberk and The Development of Ophthalmology in Turkey. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-05-23 Çağatay Üstün,Seçil Özçiftçi
Dr Nuri Fehmi Ayberk is an influential figure in the Turkish ophthalmology in training new specialists in the field and contributing to the fight against trachoma. This article includes his short biography, studies, information and cover pictures of some of his works from the original archive of Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of History of Medicine and Ethics, Fatma-Ömer Ekimci Library
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Benjamin Gibson 1774-1812: Manchester's first ophthalmologist. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-05-22 Nicholas Jones
Benjamin Gibson, a Newcastle-born surgeon, trained in Lancaster, Chester, London and Edinburgh before being appointed as assistant to Charles White, Manchester surgeon and man-midwife. He developed expertise in eye diseases, particularly of children. In 1804 he was appointed Honorary Surgeon to the Manchester Infirmary. He died young in 1812, but had published significantly on the cause of ophthalmia
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The statue of Nurse Mary Seacole (1805-1881): A trailblazer in 19th-century healthcare. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-05-16 Sakshi Roy,Muhammad Hamza Shah
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William Attree (died 1846): Royal and army surgeon who underwent amputation of the leg at Brighton, England (1807) Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-04-25 Maxwell John Cooper, Benjamin Whiston, Sarah Cooper
William Attree (1780–1846) came from a prominent family in Brighton, England. He studied medicine at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, and there was unwell for nearly 6 months with severe ‘spasms’ of th...
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Statue of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy (1882-1962): An epitome of healthcare in politics. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-04-10 Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj,Matan Bone
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The statue of Susan La Flesche Picotte (1865-1915): A pioneer of Native American public health. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-04-09 Mahnoor Javed,Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj
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A family at war: The life and times of Frank McLardy, pharmacist Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-04-04 Chris Jones
George Francis ‘Frank’ McLardy (1915–1981) was a pharmacist who lived in Formby in the 1930s. He came from an unremarkable lower middle-class family and enjoyed considerable success at school and l...
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Hideo Fukumi: Medical research in the shadow of biological warfare Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-04-03 Xianliang Dong
Hideo Fukumi (1914–1998) is renowned for his position as the director of Japan's National Institute of Health and his scientific contributions to the fields of bacteriology, virology and epidemiolo...
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Surgeon Henry Tonks and the blur of artistry Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-03-22 Thomas S Helling
The professional career of 20th Century British surgeon and artist Henry Tonks provides a unique perspective into the complex balance of technique, creativity, and empathy necessary to heal both bo...
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Alice Hamilton (1869-1970): Pioneer of industrial medicine. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-02-27 Eric Persaud
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Doctor, Indian nationalist and humanitarian: Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari (1880–1936) Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-02-21 Mahmut Cihat İzgi, Ümit Ekin
Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari was a doctor and remarkable political figure in the late 19th century and the first half of 20th century. After studying medicine in Edinburgh, he returned to his country and b...
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Norman Dott's dome-shaped neurosurgical operating theatres in Edinburgh (1960–2020) – End of an era Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-02-01 Andreas K Demetriades, Chelsea Chan, Ruth Richardson
When the new twin operating theatres at the Edinburgh Department of Surgical Neurology opened for the first time on 1 July 1960, they revealed a revolutionary space-pod design. The new department h...
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From Man's to Practical Anatomy: The evolution of an anatomical textbook Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-01-17 G Štrkalj, BK Billings
This paper traces the history of Man's Anatomy, one of the most influential anatomy textbooks produced on the African continent. Authored by the two renowned South African educators Phillip Vallent...
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William Butler (1535–1618): A biography of a singular physician Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2023-01-03 Matt Butler
William Butler (1535–1618) was a man without a medical degree who was styled as the ‘greatest physician of his age’. He was famous in his lifetime, and in the latter stages of his career was involv...
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The Journal of Medical Biography is 30 years old: Past achievements and future prospects. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-12-26 Henry Connor
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Hematologist Bracha Ramot (1927–2006): Between the bedside and the bench Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-12-23 Grunseid Laura Veronica, Nurit Kirsh
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem opened the first medical school in Israel in May 1949. One of the select 45 students of its first class was Bracha (Chweidan) Ramot. After completing her medical ...
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Robert Lawson Tait (1845–1899): The true innovator of aseptic surgery? Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-12-19 Iain Macintyre, Sean Hughes
Robert Lawson Tait was an original thinker, a surgical innovator, a controversialist and an iconoclast. He made important contributions to surgery, was an eloquent supporter of Darwinian evolution ...
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Disease versus disease: Paolo Zacchia on syphilis and epilepsy Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-12-13 Jacalyn Duffin, Daryn Lehoux
The lawyer and physician Paolo Zacchia (1584–1659) was the chief physician at the Vatican and an important advisor to the papal court. He is considered a founder of the field of forensic pathology,...
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From Baltimore to Italy: The contribution of Grace Baxter (1869–1954) to the development of Italian nursing Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-11-27 Donatella Lippi, Simon T Donell, Francesco Baldanzi
The recent discovery of unpublished documents in the archives of the Camerata hospital, (Florence, I) sheds light on an important chapter in the history of nursing education and the role played by ...
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Ernest Hart: Editor of the British Medical Journal 1866–1898 Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-11-24 Kenneth Collins
Ernest Abraham Hart (26 June 1835–7 January 1898) was the long-time editor of the British Medical Journal. He held strong opinions, and was often controversial but his views generally prevailed. He...
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Dr. Sait Bilal Golem (1899–1955): Veterinarian and pioneer researcher of public health in Albania and Turkey Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-11-15 Cagri Caglar Sinmez, Batuhan Şahin
Sait Bilal Golem is an Albanian veterinarian who graduated from the Military Veterinary School in 1920. Golem started his doctorate in microbiology at Alfort Veterinary School. In this process, he ...
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The Sloop family: Addressing rural health disparities through service and education Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-11-15 M. Seth Flynn, Paul J. Mosca
Dr Mary T. Martin Sloop and Dr Eustace Henry Sloop shaped the landscape of healthcare and education for the small town of Crossnore in the mountains of Western North Carolina throughout the early- ...
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‘Disciples of Aesclepius’: Glimpses into lives of the ‘Gentlemen of the Faculty’ of medicine in Brighton, England 1800–1809 Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-10-25 Maxwell John Cooper, Carl Fernandes, Benjamin Whiston
Here we present newspaper accounts from the Sussex Advertiser to consider hitherto largely unknown Brighton doctors active between 1800 and 1809. This body of physicians, surgeons and apothecaries ...
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Emily Blackwell’s Medical School Betrayal: “Duplicity and Double Dealing Somewhere” Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-10-17 John M. Harris
Elizabeth Blackwell's younger sister, Emily (1826–1910), was the third woman to graduate from a regular U.S. medical college in 1854. Unlike the experience of the two women who preceded her, the Ch...
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Achille Sclavo (1861-1930): A great 19th and 20th-century pioneer in the history of hygiene and public health. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-10-09 Mariano Martini,Davide Orsini
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Alexander Ure MD, FRCS (1808-1866), and the beginning of drug metabolism studies Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-09-25 SC Mitchell, RH Waring
Although many fields of endeavour emerge owing to the coalescence of the work and observations of numerous individuals, there is usually one seminal event that unites and acts as a catalyst to stim...
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President William Henry Harrison (1773-1841): A Diagnosis Lost to Time. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-09-19 Ashton D Hall,Julia E Kumar
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Dr. Thomas Earl Starzl (1926-2017): Father of Transplantation. Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-09-15 Ashton D Hall,Julia E Kumar
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Francis Fontan (1929-2018): Pioneer pediatric cardiac surgeon Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-09-07 Elisah Huynh, Rebecca Chernick, Manisha Desai
Up until the mid-1900s, tricuspid atresia - a birth defect of the tricuspid valve, was once categorized as a “death sentence.” The challenge of achieving positive health outcomes for affected patie...
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Robert Henderson: Scottish doctor who was appointed Physician to the Forces (1795) and practised at Brighton, England Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2022-08-09 Maxwell John Cooper, Menaka Jegatheesan, Carl Fernandes, Benjamin Whiston
Robert Henderson was a Scottish physician who qualified Doctor of Medicine at Aberdeen in 1786. By 1792, Henderson was working in Brighton on the south coast of England. He was admitted Licentiate ...