Month: March 2026
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Takotsubo syndrome in art: A tale of broken hearts
Rafiq YusifliSevil YusifliBaku, Azerbaijan The role of emotional factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases has long been a focus of attention for physicians and researchers. Some acute cardiac pathologies that arise following intense emotional stress were only defined as independent entities toward the end of the twentieth century. Takotsubo syndrome, also known as “broken…
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Serbia: History, war, and medicine
The territory of present-day Serbia has been inhabited since prehistoric times, most notably by the Vinča culture (c. 5700–4500 BCE), one of Europe’s earliest advanced societies. This sophisticated civilization produced early forms of proto-writing and advanced ceramic artistry as well as early medical awareness, including trepanation to treat trauma or neurological conditions. The region later…
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Hamlet and everyone after
Panayiota AntypasTasmania, Australia For most of my life, I believed that suicidality was a direct consequence of acute and unmedicated mental illness. I thought that if we admitted the patient, removed the means, and administered treatment, they would be quickly reinvigorated with a will to live. Then I met patients, colleagues, and friends who wanted…
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The ghost in the steel: What we lose when old instruments disappear
Yogesh SalphaleChandrapur, India In the modern operating theater, the soundtrack is one of high-frequency whines and digital pings. We have entered the era of the “power-driven” surgeon, where battery-operated drills, robotic arms, and navigated arrays have turned the once visceral act of orthopedics into a clean, almost detached geometry. But as I look at the…
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Where music is medicine—Lessons from the waiting room
Elena IliadisWashington, D.C., United States “Can I give you a hug?” Her words cut through the air as I looked up from my music stand at the woman standing over me, her face flushed and wet with tears. I shot up from my seat, too stunned to mutter more than a quiet “Of course” before…
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The deal and discharges
Vartika MishraLucknow, India “This is all I have ever wanted. I have worked hard for this, and now is the time to rise and shine,” I reminded myself as I entered the shabby gates of the hospital. As a first-year resident in obstetrics and gynecology, inspiring myself to get out of bed every day had…
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Montenegro: The Black Mountain
Montenegro is a small Balkan country of fewer than 700,000 inhabitants. It has rugged mountains, medieval villages, and a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline. Venetian merchants travelling along its coast named the country Monte Negro from the dark, forested mountain peaks of its inland, and the Slavs translated this as Crna Gora,…
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Malta: History and medicine
Humans have populated the Malta archipelago since at least 2400 BC, leaving behind temples that appear to have served as centers of religion and healing. The Phoenicians colonized the archipelago around 700 BC and ruled it until they were conquered in 218 BC by the Romans. In AD 60, according to the Acts of the Apostles, St.…
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Stem cells and their promise in treating disease
Ashok SinghChicago, Illinois, United States Stem cells represent a fascinating and promising frontier in modern medicine. As they multiply, stem cells are unique in their ability to differentiate themselves into cells with different properties. This ability is observable in the development of a complete body from a single, unique fertilized cell. After fertilization and multiplication…
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Book review: Roman Emperors and Their Illnesses
Arpan K. BanerjeeSolihull, UK Books about illness in political figures are not a new phenomenon. Lord Moran, Winston Churchill’s personal physician, wrote an important work based on his experience. David Owen, a physician and distinguished Foreign Secretary in the British Labour Government under Prime Minister James Callaghan, in 2008 wrote In Sickness and Power, an…