Tag: George Dunea
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“Medical Mannerism” (1520–1580)
Mannerism in art is characterized by the work of innovators who tried new approaches to their discipline—such as Pontormo, Rosso Fiorentino, Parmigianino, El Greco, Spranger and Goltzius. Physicians, by contrast, remained rooted in the ancient humoral theory of Hippocrates and Galen, continuing to understand health as a balance between the four bodily humors, making diagnoses…
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Tibet: History and medicine
Situated 14,000 feet above sea level, the vast Tibetan plateau has been inhabited by humans for at least 21,000 years. Adapted to extreme altitude and cold, early nomadic pastoralists hunted, herded, traded, and developed routes linking Tibet with other parts of the world. Their early religion was animistic. Mountains, rivers, and sky phenomena were regarded…
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The doctors of Thomas Hardy
In his widely read novels, Thomas Hardy describes life in late nineteenth-century England, when truly effective medical remedies were exceedingly few and doctors were greatly limited in what they could achieve. Conditions were worse in rural areas, where poverty was an additional factor in determining the outcome of illnesses. Although doctors in Hardy’s novels typically have…
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In praise of speleology
As freshmen at the university, we were advised to join a society or club in order to expand our horizons through what later became known as a liberal education. So, my classmate Pete convinced me to join the speleological society and suggested we should explore the Jenolan Caves, a major tourist attraction in New South…
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The rhinoceros, threatened by extinction
Introduction Five rhino species survive across Africa and Asia. They are distinguished by their massive size, thick protective skin, and horns composed of keratin—the same protein as found in human hair and nails. The rhinos once roamed the savannas in large numbers but in more recent years have become the victims of climate and habitat…
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The hippopotamus in science and medicine
The broad-backed hippopotamusRests on his belly in the mud;Although he seems so firm to usHe is merely flesh and blood. Flesh-and-blood is weak and frail,Susceptible to nervous shock […]—TS Eliot, “The Hippopotamus” When a patient once asked me whether hippopotami ever suffer from high blood pressure, I dreamed that night I was sitting in my…
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The Popes and the Black Death in Avignon
Avignon in southeastern France stands as one of Europe’s most historically significant cities, commonly remembered as the seat of the Catholic papacy during the 14th century and for its famous bridge immortalized in song. It was a time of conflict and unstable conditions in Italy while the French King Philip IV was exerting pressure on…
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Sri Lanka, a pearl of the Indian Ocean
Sri Lanka is an island nation in the Indian Ocean just south of the Indian subcontinent. Once called Ceylon, its history spans over 2,500 years, beginning with the arrival of Prince Vijaya from India in the sixth century BCE. In the third century BCE, the Emperor Ashoka’s son introduced Buddhism. The island’s position along ancient…
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Along the Silk Road in Central Asia
The historical Silk Road was a vast network of land and sea routes that connected China with the West for over 2,000 years, facilitating the exchange of silk, spices, gold, and also ideas until the fall of the Byzantine Empire. Its origins have been attributed to the Han Dynasty, and Samarkand and Bukhara have long…
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Roma (Gypsies): History and medical aspects
Historical research indicates that the Roma people (also referred to as Romani or the pejorative “gypsies”) originated in India, contrary to earlier beliefs that they came from Egypt. Linguistic studies have unequivocally confirmed their language’s Indo-Aryan roots and similarities to Sanskrit, Hindi, and other languages of India. Over centuries of migration through Persia, Armenia, and…