Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Roman Emperors and their Illnesses

  • The Bois de Boulogne of Paris 

    The Bois de Boulogne, spanning 2,090 acres on the western edge of Paris, was originally a hunting ground for the kings of France, from King Dagobert, who used this forest to hunt bears and deer, to his  grandson Childeric II who gave the forest to… Read more

  • The magnificent Boboli Gardens of Florence 

    The Boboli Gardens, one the most magnificent Renaissance gardens in Italy, originated in 1549 after Cosimo I de’ Medici bought the Pitti Palace to create formal gardens on the hillside behind it. Niccolò Tribolo was the first architect given the task to design the gardens, before other renowned architects such as Bartolomeo Ammannati, Bernardo Buontalenti,  and… Read more

  • Jacob Spon, the French doctor archaeologist

    Born in 1647 in Lyon, internationally reputed scholar Jacob Spon pioneered the exploration of the monuments of Greece. Following medical studies at Strasbourg, he received his doctorate in medicine from Montpellier (1668) and subsequently practiced in Lyon to a wealthy clientele. He traveled to Italy,… Read more

  • The history of chemotherapy

    Jayant RadhakrishnanChicago, Illinois, United States When Sahachirō Hata developed a cure for syphilis while working in Paul Ehrlich’s laboratory,1 Ehrlich began to look for other chemicals that could destroy infectious agents without affecting normal host cells. In 1907, he coined the term chemotherapy2 and declared… Read more

  • Augustus Pitt Rivers: Leader in medical anthropology and healthcare understanding

    Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers (1827–1900) established himself as one of the leading figures who shaped contemporary medical anthropology and archaeology. During his time as a British Army officer (he later received the honorary rank of Lieutenant-General), he studied how different societies handled their health needs and treated their… Read more

  • Sir Mortimer Wheeler (1890–1976): Archaeologist for the people

    Renowned for his innovative field methods, Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler brought archaeology to the people, utilizing media and public education. His work spanned continents, his notable excavations being in Britain and India. Born in 1890 in Glasgow, he studied at the University of London,… Read more

  • Grady Memorial Hospital

    Umut AkovaAtlanta, Georgia, United States In late 1889, during the years following Reconstruction, the Atlanta councilman Joseph Hirsch introduced a resolution to create a public hospital in honor of journalist Henry W. Grady, who had become a major force in Georgia politics and advocated for a public… Read more

  • Cyriacus of Ancona, father of archaeology (1391–1452)

    Often referred to as the “Father of Archaeology,” his original name was Ciriaco de’ Pizzicolli (Cyriacus). Born in the bustling Italian port city of Ancona, Cyriacus had been celebrated as a pioneer in the rediscovery and preservation of classical antiquity, and unlike many humanists who… Read more

  • William Cunningham: Economic historian and health advocate (1849–1919)

    Born in Edinburgh in 1849, Cunningham was deeply influenced by the lingering legacy of the Scottish Enlightenment. He attended the Edinburgh Academy and the University of Edinburgh, studying mathematics and philosophy, then pursued theology at Trinity College, Cambridge and became an ordained Anglican priest. He… Read more

  • Christian Jürgensen Thomsen (1788–1865) of the “Three‑Age System” — Stone, Bronze, and Iron

    Born in Copenhagen in 1788, Christian Jürgensen Thomsen immersed himself in numismatics and antiquities at a young age. His interest in organizing ancient coins and artifacts led to his role in 1819 as the first curator at what would become Denmark’s National Museum. In this… Read more

  • Heinrich Schliemann, the archeologist who excavated Troy

    Heinrich Schliemann (1822–1890) explored and excavated the ruins of Troy, connecting them with the Homeric epics. His life was marked by relentless determination, linguistic genius, and a fascination with antiquity. Born in 1822 in Neubukow, Germany, Schliemann grew up in modest circumstances as the son… Read more

  • Jacques Boucher de Perthes: Scholar of prehistoric man

    Jacques-Louis Boucher de Perthes (1788–1868) revolutionized our understanding of human antiquity through his discoveries of flint tools associated with extinct animal remains in the Somme Valley. These findings challenged prevailing notions about the short chronology of humanity and laid the groundwork for modern prehistoric studies.… Read more