Category: History Essays
-
Ship fever: A malignant disease of a most dangerous kind?
Richard de GrijsSydney, Australia During the Age of Sail, “road,” “workhouse,” “hospital,” “army,” “camp,” “emigrant,” “jail”/“gaol,” and “ship” were routine noun adjuncts pertaining to the deadly fevers frequently occurring in overcrowded spaces in cold weather. Although “fever” diagnoses were common, most such instances in ships’ surgeons’ journals related to typhus or typhoid fevers—until 1869, they…
-
A foul “sailor’s mouth” of a different kind
Richard de GrijsSydney, Australia Johnny Depp seems to have taken his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the movie franchise Pirates of the Caribbean quite literally. His appearance at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival unleashed a minor scandal as fans’ complaints about his supposedly “rotting teeth” went viral.1 While Depp should be able to afford…
-
René Descartes found that Sweden was hazardous to his health
Howard FischerUppsala, Sweden René Descartes (1596–1650) was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. He obtained a law degree in 1616 at his father’s insistence, but in 1618 became an officer in the army of the Dutch Protestant States. He is thought to have influenced the work of Isaac Newton and also created the foundations of…
-
Byzantine Emperor John Tzimisces: Murder, charity, & leprosy
Sally MetzlerChicago, Illinois, United States Few historical figures present singular profiles of good or evil. Often, the confluence of disparate actions molds the fame or infamy of great leaders. A prime example is Byzantine Emperor John Tzimisces (b. 925–d. 976). Though he rose to power through murder, he consistently displayed a marked benevolence towards the…
-
University of Padua School of Medicine
JMS PearceHull, England The four great early schools of medicine were in Alexandria, Bologna, Pavia, and Padua. Herophilus and Erasistratus initiated rational anatomy and physiology at the Alexandrian school of medicine founded c. 300 BC. In the second century AD, they were succeeded by Rufus of Ephesus—the medical link between Hippocrates of Cos, Galen of…
-
William Dawes: Deep flaws and sparks of brilliance
Richard de GrijsSydney, Australia Most Sydneysiders will have heard of William Dawes (1762–1836), although they may not know exactly who he was. Dawes Point, the promontory supporting the southern pillars of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, is named after him, as are Dawes Creek and Dawes Ridge in the nearby Blue Mountains National Park. William Dawes…
-
Notable achievements by people who have lost an upper limb
Avi OhryTel Aviv, Israel Working for the last fifty years in rehabilitation medicine and playing the drums in two jazz bands, I have always looked for stories of people who, in spite of chronic illness or disability, have accomplished much in art, music, politics, or science.1-3 Some of these include those who have achieved without…
-
Diptheria: Horses and dogs to the rescue
Jayant RadhakrishnanChicago, Illinois, United States Pierre-Fidèle Bretonneau described diphtheria as a distinct entity in 1821.1 He named it after the Greek word for leather2 because of the thick gray membrane that forms in the throat. Physicians before him, starting with Hippocrates, considered asphyxiating diseases as a group that also included tonsillitis, croup, and malignant angina.…
-
Louis Jolyon West, M.D.: A dangerous doctor
Howard FischerUppsala, Sweden “The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.”– The Nuremburg Code, Section on Permissible Human Experiments (1946)1 Louis J. West, M.D. (1924–1999), was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a poor immigrant family. He enlisted in the US Army during World War Two, was sent to medical school at the…