Tag: Franklin Delano Roosevelt
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The pediatric pioneer and his finger
Ciara O’Neill Dublin, Ireland Statue of Henry Marsh in Royal College of Physicians, Dublin, Ireland. Photo by Ciara O’Neill. One of the most intriguing statues in the Graves Hall of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Dublin is that of Sir Henry Marsh (1790–1860). Alongside the three other memorials in the hall—to…
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Salk and Sabin: The disease, the rivalry and the vaccine
Kevin R. Loughlin Boston, MA, United States Jonas Salk was born in a tenement in the East Harlem section of New York City. Albert Sabin was born in Poland and as a child immigrated to the United States with his parents. From these humble beginnings, they would emerge as two of the preeminent scientists…
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Polio conundrums
Denis Gill Dublin, Ireland Ancient Egyptian stele of Ruma For most children, infection with the polio virus caused no symptoms or a minor illness. But about 1% of those infected experienced paralysis of one or both lower limbs. Worse still, bulbar paralysis could lead to the inability to breathe. The effects of polio were…
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Illness shapes the course of human events
K. N. Lai Hong Kong, China Liu Bei, the founding emperor of the state of Shu-Han, 7th century. The revered leader may have had Marfan syndrome. These items, part of the Gerald Chow Memorial Lecture delivered to the Hong Kong College of Physicians, illustrate the many connections between medicine and the humanities, as well as exemplifying how…