Acta Med Hist Adriat
· 2019 Dec · PMID 32390448
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INTRODUCTION: Avicenna statedinteresting points on the symptoms of rib bone fractures, their physical examination, and also treatment and management of the complications in his master piece Canon in Tibb. METHOD: We revi...INTRODUCTION: Avicenna statedinteresting points on the symptoms of rib bone fractures, their physical examination, and also treatment and management of the complications in his master piece Canon in Tibb. METHOD: We reviewed Avicenna's Canon and his viewpoints on the anatomy of the rib bones and their fractures and compared it with conventional medicine. RESULT: He described the ana omy of the ribs; he explained the effectiveness of their structure in the prote tion of vital organs. He also suggested some methods for the management of rib fractures, such as using vacuum at the fracture site or open surgery in case of complications. CONCLUSION: Avicenna's point of view on the approach toward rib fractures had some similarities and differences with conventional practice. Some of his suggestions could be taken into account.
Acta Med Hist Adriat
· 2019 Dec · PMID 32390447
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Publisher ↗
Helminthiasis is known to man since antiquity, but it still remains a significant public health problem. In ancient times many plants have been tried as possible therapeutics in search of an effective drug. This manuscri...Helminthiasis is known to man since antiquity, but it still remains a significant public health problem. In ancient times many plants have been tried as possible therapeutics in search of an effective drug. This manuscript investigates ancient beliefs on parasitic worm infestation. Moreover, Alexander of Tralles' (525 - 605 CE) suggestions on the treatment of this condition are discussed as found in his lesser-known work "A letter on helminths", along with comments on the use of those herbal cures by modern medicine.
Acta Med Hist Adriat
· 2019 Dec · PMID 32390446
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Publisher ↗
Zvonimir Maretić was the pioneer of the study of venomous animals and plants, toxicology, and tourism medicine. His achievements have been recognized, but insufficiently researched. His work covers a broad range of biome...Zvonimir Maretić was the pioneer of the study of venomous animals and plants, toxicology, and tourism medicine. His achievements have been recognized, but insufficiently researched. His work covers a broad range of biomedical sciences: from public health, ecology, and environmental protection, to epidemiology and infectology. Maretić was one of the founding members of the International Society on Toxinology and the Toxicon journal's first Editorial Board. He was the first in Europe to prepare the antilatrodectic serum and to successfully apply the weever and scorpionfish antiserum on humans. This brief note tries to commemorate the achievements of Maretić, up to now poorly recognized and insufficiently researched.
Acta Med Hist Adriat
· 2019 Dec · PMID 32390445
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Recently, the World Health Organization launched its Universal Health Coverage initiative with the aim to improve access to quality health care on a global level, without causing financial hardship to the patients. In th...Recently, the World Health Organization launched its Universal Health Coverage initiative with the aim to improve access to quality health care on a global level, without causing financial hardship to the patients. In this paper, we will identify and analyze the ideological similarities between this influential initiative and the work of one of the founders of the WHO-Andrija Štampar (1888-1958)-whose social medicine was built of various normative, sociological and philosophical elements. Our aim is to demonstrate the crucial role of carefully erected and thought-out ideology for the success of public health programs.
Acta Med Hist Adriat
· 2019 Dec · PMID 32390444
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The Spanish flu is a pandemic that was neglected even though it killed more people than World War I. At the end of 1918, newspaper reports are scarce due to war events, press cen-sorships, and burst political events. For...The Spanish flu is a pandemic that was neglected even though it killed more people than World War I. At the end of 1918, newspaper reports are scarce due to war events, press cen-sorships, and burst political events. For decades after the epidemic was over, the Spanish flu was not the subject of scientific research. By analysing the entry from the registers of the six Neretva parishes (Borovci-Nova Selo, Desne-Bagalovići, Dobranje, Opuzen, Metkovic, Vidonje,and Vid), statistical data on the scale of the epidemic were reconstructed as well as the time course of the spread of the disease in the valley. The sex and age structure of the deceased were also analysed. The disease was spreading from Opuzen throughout the valley. The peak of the epidemic was in the second half of November and late December. The villages of the Desne and Vidonje were the most affected. Vid was also captured by the third wave in 1920, which was as deadly as that in 1918. The most affected were women, which fits in Croatian statistics. Comparing the timeline of epidemics in Zagreb and Neretva valley, it is visible that Zagreb was affected earlier by an epidemic. The third wave did not affect Zagreb as much as it did Neretva, especially the village of Vidonje. In these Neretva parishes, people under twenty were mostly affected. This deviates from the general rules and statistics of the Spanish flu, which stated that the most affected population was between the ages of twenty and forty. The article deals with data on the Spanish Neretva flu cases, while the number of infections remains unknown.
Acta Med Hist Adriat
· 2019 Dec · PMID 32390443
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Publisher ↗
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a hospital for infectious diseases in the Zeniković area was operating in Rijeka as a hospital - subsidiary of the City Hospital of St. Spirit. After purchasing the property of...In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a hospital for infectious diseases in the Zeniković area was operating in Rijeka as a hospital - subsidiary of the City Hospital of St. Spirit. After purchasing the property of the naval captain Dionysius Jakovčić, the existing buildings were adapted, and several other buildings, necessary for the organization of an infectious hospital, were constructed in the early eighties of the 19th century. The terrain and buildings were divided into clean and unclean areas. The main building was adapted to the main facilities for treatment and accommodation, while the smaller building was used for economic purposes. Due to the increase of the capacity at the turn of the century, further adaptations were made, larger wooden barracks and other temporary facilities were also constructed. The terrain of the hospital was linked to two ambitious projects of the hospitals in Rijeka, which were created at the beginning of the 20th century but were not realized.The hospital operated until the twenties of the 20th century when this department together with the City Hospital was moved to the former Naval Academy complex, while the hospital area was given a new purpose in the interwar and postwar periods.
Acta Med Hist Adriat
· 2019 Dec · PMID 32390442
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Publisher ↗
Plague epidemics have remained in the collective consciousness until nowadays remembered as the deadliest. Therefore, it is not surprising that the answers to them throughout history have been not only medical but also r...Plague epidemics have remained in the collective consciousness until nowadays remembered as the deadliest. Therefore, it is not surprising that the answers to them throughout history have been not only medical but also religious. The previously mentioned will be analyzed in this paper through the cults of the protector saints against the plague epidemics that have developed in two Croatian cities of comparable size, Rijeka and Osijek, but with the diametrically opposed geographical positions and, accordingly, quite different historical developments. On the one hand, a more detailed overview of the development of the cults of various saints present in the mentioned cities will be presented. On the other hand, based on their presentation in the sacral heritage of these cities, the broader context of the time and space in which they have developed will be lightened. Particular attention will be paid to their medical connotations.
Acta Med Hist Adriat
· 2019 Dec · PMID 32390441
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Publisher ↗
The Order of St. Augustine (Ordo Eremitarum Sancti Augustini) was the first religious community in Rijeka. The monastery of St. Jerome, founded by the noble families of Devin and Walsee, existed from the 14th century til...The Order of St. Augustine (Ordo Eremitarum Sancti Augustini) was the first religious community in Rijeka. The monastery of St. Jerome, founded by the noble families of Devin and Walsee, existed from the 14th century till 1788, when it was dissolved by Joseph II. Unfortunately, the past of the Augustine Monastery of St. Jerome is mostly unknown. On the basis of largely unexplored sources in Croatia and overseas, the author reveals several facts about the relation between Rijeka's Augustinian community and medicine. The paper includes an important piece of information concerning the existence of a hospital on the lo-cation of Andrejšćica in Rijeka, founded in the 15th century, which has so far been unknown. Augustinian's sources (16th and 18th century) show the presence of several shaver-surgeon (barbitonsorius) and other various relevant topics for the history of medicine in Rijeka - pharmacopola, aromatarius etc.
This editorial is dedicated to a commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci near Florence, April 15, 1452 ‑ Cloux Castle, France, May 2, 1519) ‑ the greatest Renaissance artist and on...This editorial is dedicated to a commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci near Florence, April 15, 1452 ‑ Cloux Castle, France, May 2, 1519) ‑ the greatest Renaissance artist and one of the greatest artists in general. From his invaluable artistic and scientific heritage, only a small part dedicated to the exploration of the Nature was selected for this occasion. In this part, according to many, the most significant place is dedicated to his anatomical drawings as a lasting testament to his interest in anatomy and medicine in general. Much has been said and written about this topic over the past 500 years. While searching through numerous bibliographic sources, several of the most impressive drawings have been selected for this occasion, with a few short reminiscences, which bear the most impressive testimony to the brilliant mind of the great Leonardo, rightfully called uomo universale.
Scientific conference Rijeka and its citizens in Medical History as an 18th conference was met on November 9, 2018. Organized by the Croatian Scientific Society for the History of Health Culture, University of Rijeka, Fa...Scientific conference Rijeka and its citizens in Medical History as an 18th conference was met on November 9, 2018. Organized by the Croatian Scientific Society for the History of Health Culture, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine and the State Archives in Rijeka. The eighteenth conference was held at the exhibition hall of the last, but not least organizer. The initiator of the gathering and the president of the Society prof. Ante Škrobonja with several introductory words about the long tradition of the gathering, as well as the Society, met the present with their total work and present the conference with 20 presentations held by authors from Croatia and neighbouring countries like Slovenia and Serbia. Nine presentations with specific themes about medical history in Rijeka, and 11 presentations wider spectre.
The newly established Department of neuropsychiatry of the Medical Center of Karlovac opened on November 3rd, 1969, thus enabling a comprehensive and modern approach to people with mental disorders. Prior to its opening,...The newly established Department of neuropsychiatry of the Medical Center of Karlovac opened on November 3rd, 1969, thus enabling a comprehensive and modern approach to people with mental disorders. Prior to its opening, the first stage of the hospital in Švarča was completed. Up until that point, psychiatric care had been inadequate despite the enthusiasm of individuals, such as Dr. Andrija Štampar who worked in Karlovac in 1912 and 1913. The first decade of the Department's work marked the overload of "mixing" psychiatric and neurological cases, as well as the leadership of the scholar, Prim. Dr. Dražen Neimarević. The establishment of separate departments in 1980 showed improvement in the working conditions, and further steps were made with the formation of day hospitals for alcoholism and psychotherapy. Better access to patients was achieved due to the independence of psychiatric care in 1994. The start of the 21st century saw innovative breakthroughs with the opening of the first unit for treating sexual disorders in Croatia and the establishment of one of the first mobile psychiatric teams within the national implementation of Community-based psychiatry model. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Department of neuropsychiatry in the General Hospital Karlovac, it is important to give thanks to everyone who contributed to the development of psychiatric care. Following the foundations that were laid, it is necessary to adapt and improve the approaches to those with mental disorders, with the aim to provide recovery and destigmatization. Finally, following the development in Croatian psychiatry and parallel activities in similar institutions, the overview of "psychiatry in Karlovac" can be used as a representative sample of the development in other institutions and similar county/regional centers.
Many things are said and written about famous ophthalmologist Albrecht von Graefe. This work gives detailed description of the places where he lived and practiced ophthalmology in Berlin, because very little was written...Many things are said and written about famous ophthalmologist Albrecht von Graefe. This work gives detailed description of the places where he lived and practiced ophthalmology in Berlin, because very little was written about it and never in one paper. Von Graefe was born in 1828 in villa Finkenherd in the north-west part of Tiergarten in Berlin. He lived in Behrenstrasse, one of the fashionable streets in Berlin, where he began his ophthalmological practice in 1850. Later, in 1852 he founded a famous private eye clinic in Karlstrasse 46 where he treated numerous eye patients and educated many prominent ophthalmologists and surgeons. Several times he had changed his residence addresses. Among other places, he also stayed in Unter den Linden Avenue and Bellevuestrasse near Potsdamer Platz. In 1868 he became the head of the eye clinic in the Charité Hospital. Since then he lived in a spacious house on Viktoriastrasse until his death in 1870. Although Albrecht von Graefe lived only 42 years, he travelled a lot, but most of his life he spent in the city of Berlin. Graefe made many contributions to ophthalmology being considered the "father of glaucoma" and the nestor of modern ophthalmology.
Born in Istria, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Fran Mandić (1851-1924) finished a Croatian grammar school in Rijeka and studied medicine in Graz, Austria and in Prague, Bohemia. After graduation, he settled in...Born in Istria, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Fran Mandić (1851-1924) finished a Croatian grammar school in Rijeka and studied medicine in Graz, Austria and in Prague, Bohemia. After graduation, he settled in Trieste, a major Austrian port, where he spent his entire career. After a period in the State Hospital in Trieste, Mandić ran his own practice and held a position of medical adviser of the Austrian State Railway in Istria. Since his student days, he had championed equal political rights for the Croatian people in Istria. Aware of the importance of education, he donated his time and money for a number of new schools to open throughout Istria. For his merits he received high honours from the Emperor and an honorary Citizenship of Opatija, but the greatest recognition was the respect he earned from his patients and their families.
Massage is the manipulation of the body tissues by using techniques, such as rubbing, kneading, pressing, and rolling to sustain a state of health and wellness. Massage is one of the oldest and most natural healing appli...Massage is the manipulation of the body tissues by using techniques, such as rubbing, kneading, pressing, and rolling to sustain a state of health and wellness. Massage is one of the oldest and most natural healing applications in human history. Avicenna (980 - 1037) gained a very important position in the medical world with his most important work, the Canon of Medicine, known as the holy book of medicine in the Western world. Different types of massage were defined in the book. These were hard friction that braces the body, soft friction that relaxes the body, repeated friction that reduces the amount of fat in the body, moderately hard friction that improves the body, rough friction that leads the blood to the surface rapidly, gentle friction that increases blood flow in the application area, preparatory friction that prepares the body before exercise, and restorative friction that is applied after exercise which alleviates exhaustion. It may be seen that Avicenna, whose work shows influnce of Greek and Roman physicians, was heavily influenced by Hippocrates and Galen. It is seen that the massage techniques and effect mechanisms defined by Avicenna about a thousand years ago have contributed a lot to the developments in massage through the historical process.
In the first half of the 20th century, in most European countries, it was thought that cholinesterase and other drugs that counteract acetylcholine should reduce the manifestations of schizophrenia. In 1937, Fiamberti (1...In the first half of the 20th century, in most European countries, it was thought that cholinesterase and other drugs that counteract acetylcholine should reduce the manifestations of schizophrenia. In 1937, Fiamberti (1894-1970) introduced the transorbital method of lobotomy which established the use of acetylcholine shock treatment for curing the disturbances of schizophrenia. Accepting the idea that the psychic alterations of schizophrenia were caused by a pathological interruption of nerve conduction at a presumably cortical level, Fiamberti thought he could apply this to the clinical field using the properties of acetylcholine, an acetic ester of choline. Here, we examined, in detail, the contribution of Mario Fiamberti to acetylcholine therapy.
Beta thalassaemia represents one of the most common autosomal recessive disorders worldwide. High prevalence is present in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Far East. The highest incidences are reported in Cyprus, South...Beta thalassaemia represents one of the most common autosomal recessive disorders worldwide. High prevalence is present in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Far East. The highest incidences are reported in Cyprus, South East Asia and Sardinia and are most likely related to the selective pressure from Pl. falciparum, the causative agent of malaria. In Sardinia, because of the health relevance of beta thalassaemia and haemoglobinopathies and after the publication of the first scientific research on Cooley's anaemia, important Schools of Paediatrics and Clinical Genetics have been set up, which have contributed to defining diagnostic criteria, therapeutic and preventive measures (especially, newborn screening). The aim of the present study is to examine the results of the first scientific research made by the Sardinian Schools of Paediatrics and Clinical Genetics, from 1929 to 1957.
In an era when medicine in Greece was dominated by men, at the end of the 19th and during the first decades of 20th century, two women, Maria Kalapothakes [in Greek: Μαρία Καλαποθάκη] (1859-1941) and Angélique Panayotato...In an era when medicine in Greece was dominated by men, at the end of the 19th and during the first decades of 20th century, two women, Maria Kalapothakes [in Greek: Μαρία Καλαποθάκη] (1859-1941) and Angélique Panayotatou [in Greek: Αγγελική Παναγιωτάτου] (1878-1954), managed to stand out and contribute to the evolution of medicine. Maria Kalapothakes received medical education in Paris and then she returned to Greece. Not only did she contribute to several fields of medicine, but also exercised charity and even undertook the task of treating war victims on many occasions. Angélique Panayotatou studied medicine at the University of Athens and then moved to Alexandria in Egypt, where she specialized in tropical medicine and also engaged in literature. Panayotatou became the first female professor of the Medical School of Athens and the first female member of the Academy of Athens. In recognition for their contributions, Kalapothakes and Panayotatou received medals and honors for both their scientific work and social engagement.
Insomnia is a common complaint in outpatient clinics. It usually affects quality of life neg-atively, especially in severe cases. Nowadays, routine medical interventions comprise pharmacological approaches and cognitive...Insomnia is a common complaint in outpatient clinics. It usually affects quality of life neg-atively, especially in severe cases. Nowadays, routine medical interventions comprise pharmacological approaches and cognitive behavioral therapy. Common medications used by afflicted patients are not competent enough in addition to their annoying side effects. It would naturally denote the need for considering novel strategies for treating insomniac patients. Approach to insomnia in traditional Persian medicine (TPM) has been cited in a scrutinized manner focusing on its main causes. Accordingly, its treatment is tailored based on the constitution of the patient, intensity of the disease, and type of the cause. In this paper we have discussed the causes of insomnia, diagnostic approach, and various medical interventions proposed in valid sources of TPM.
Saint Martin of Leon was a monk who lived in the 12th century. The details of his life are known because they were described by his contemporary, Lucas de Tuy, in the Liber de Miraculis Sancti Isidori. Saint Martin of Le...Saint Martin of Leon was a monk who lived in the 12th century. The details of his life are known because they were described by his contemporary, Lucas de Tuy, in the Liber de Miraculis Sancti Isidori. Saint Martin of Leon was a venerable old man who suffered from severe headaches, considerable difficulties in raising or maintaining his arms raised, asthenia, and anorexia. In addition, he is represented in his codex Concordia with an unusual hyperpigmentation of the temples suggesting a therapeutic intervention on temporal arteries. These data lead us to think that this could be the first described case of giant cell arteritis with some clinical information. Moreover, he experienced a singular and curious appearance of Saint Isidore of Seville, who made him swallow a booklet, which might correspond to a complex visual hallucination or associated Charles Bonnet syndrome. Historical data on the disease are reviewed and discussed, as well as its evolution and treatment before giving steroids.
Although stethoscope was invented by French physician René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laennec (1781-1826) in 1816, its wider clinical application started only after the publication of his book entitled De l'Auscultation Médiate...Although stethoscope was invented by French physician René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laennec (1781-1826) in 1816, its wider clinical application started only after the publication of his book entitled De l'Auscultation Médiate ou Traité, du Diagnostic des Maladies des Poumons et du Coeur in 1819. Its invention coincided with the development of the 'hospital medicine' in the post-revolutionary Paris during the first quarter of the 19th century. It has enabled then contemporary physicians to explain the correlation between the patient symptoms and the clinical findings and thus has helped the shift from the humoral pathology towards the solitary pathology.