Histoire des sciences medicales最新文献

Although its title is not vey clear, René Larger's book, Théorie de la Contre-évolution, published in 1917, is a major contribution to paleopathology, and pathocoenosis, a concept coined by M. D. Grmek in 1969 ; it offers a good occasion to have a new look on Lamarck's and Darwin's theories.

Richard Cabot (1868-1939) was a physician who practiced in the Massachusetts General Hospital and taught in the Harvard University of Boston. He was a famous clinician, and devel- oped social work and ethics together.

Today, the development of analytic methods brings new scientific insights into the research on the mummification process used by embalmers in ancient Egypt. The application of these techniques of molecular analysis, elementary analysis, botanical analysis and bibliographic analysis of ancient texts allows us to know the composition of mummification balms and material involved in the conservation of the body. Such substances, which are mineral, animal or plant material, played a practical and a symbolic part in the composition of balms used for the preservation of mummified bodies and therefore in the passage to the eternal life after the death. The comparison of analysis results can inform us about changes in embalming techniques depending of the time, the place of mummification, the deceased's social status. However the number of mummies studied is very small compared to the number of bodies that were mummified. Finally the techniques of mummification and making balms were very variable according to practitioners and their modus operandi. Today, using these technic of chemical analysis and medical imaging techniques, we can authenticate and reconstruct the history of museum pieces, as we have done in the unpublished studies conducted in support of literature data previously collected.

After a paper by Jacques Chevallier (Histoire des sciences médicales, XLIX, 2015, 179-188), the author presents two unpublished letters from Engène Brieux, a popular write, and amateur of cruises, to Dr. Édouard Toulouse, a famous psychiatrist.

Ehlers-Danlos disease had a paradoxical fate. Clinically identified 123 years ago, it is unknown to nearly all present doctors. Often described for its dramatic aspects, diagnostic confusion with fibromyalgia in particular, ignorance of effective treatments such as oxygen therapy and orthotics are new concepts that should shake the prejudices derived from the history of this disease.

The paper presents the research on medicine in Greco-Roman Egypt conducted in the last forty years at the Centre de Documentation de Papyrologie Littéraire (CEDOPAL) at the University of Liège. It describes the main results obtained by deciphering, editing, translating and commenting Greek and Latin medical papyri, be they literary, documentary or magical.

During the last thirty years of his life, between 1845 and 1878, François-Vincent Raspail (1794-1878) published each year a new edition of his Manuel de santé (Manual of Health), which was intended as a practical guide to prevent and treat, using in particular camphor, major human diseases. Each edition was accompanied by a preamble, as an annual forum where the "revered teacher" applied to give information on his family, his trial, his stays in prison, his resentment, his exile, his publications, schedules consultations, etc. As a libertarian protester against the powers wether medical, political or judicial, Raspail was a tireless defender of the poor and weak, and this attitude earned him his reputation and his popularity. This positive image of "secular saint" was built from an effective propaganda, where the Manuel de santé and its preambles played a central rol.

François Vincent Raspail (1794-1878) was a chemist and a politician who practised medicine illegally : for him, all pathologies were almost exclusively caused by "parasites" and he treated them all thanks to the beneficial effects of camphor. Raspail did not invent nor discover that substance, which was broadly used in the 18th century, but he codified the use of its various pharmaceutical forms thanks to what would be later called "Raspail's method": camphor to eat (lumps), to snuff (powder), to smoke (cigarettes), brandy and 32° camphored alcohol, camphored oil and sedative water... Since Raspail lavished his patients with many hygiene pieces of advice and moral principles, this method--that was actually a prolongation of his political action in favour of the very poor--was a complete success among the population. But this success was also due to the simplicity of the remedy, its relative harmlessness and, above all, to an incredibly efficient advertising since he enjoyed the support of many important people and also published a very successful book, his Manuel annuaire de Santé, that was re-edited 77 times.

In September 1901, a cruise for work and pleasure is organized in Mediterranean including VIP all firstclass (politicals, scientists, clergymen...) These were 174 passengers on the ship Senegal. After a departure from Marseille, the ship must quickly turn and go back on account of a sailor in the crew might be sicked with plague. A quarantine was organised in the lazaret of Frioul's island. This man died but an another actually ill will be cured. All the conference participents landed in the Frioul lazaret stayed only seven days on place and remained uninjured. This misadventure will be studied by scientific people and given to authorities. So, Pr Jules Buckoy' communication to the french Academy of medicine. Adrien Proust gave a report. In this doctoral thesis in 1902 Joseph Pellissier reported all the cases of plague cured in the Frioul lazaret. The physician Charles Leroux made an epidemiologic study about effects and troubles with plague serums. A lot of orig- inal and beautiful photographs, notably those by the famous passenger, Léon Gaumont, are joined in our presentation.