Journal of Medical Biography最新文献

Isaac al-Israelī (died early ninth century AD) was a Jewish physician. He is known for writing important works in many different fields such as medicine, philosophy, pharmacology, botany, and Jewish theology. He was a court physician as the chief physician during the rule of the Aghlebids and Fatimids in North Africa. He ensured the systematization and institutionalization of the first medical school established in Qayrawān under the name of Bayt al-Hikma. Israelī was considered an authority in the field of medicine in Qayrawān and is known for his major works in this field. Many of his works were translated into Latin, Hebrew, English and Spanish over time and were first translated into Latin by Constantinus Africanus (died 1082 AD) in 1082. Thanks to these translations, Israel's medical works reached Europe via Sicily and were used as textbooks in the medical school of Salerno (The Schola Medica Salernitana). Moreover, his works continued to be taught with interest in many European universities until the 17th century.In this study, the contributions of a Jewish scholar who continued his medical career in the Islamic development of medicine in North Africa, and in the establishment of a medical school there.

Annie Dodge Wauneka was an activist and public servant whose decades long career focused extensively on improving the welfare of the Navajo Community. She campaigned to increase education among those living on the Navajo Reservation through working on the Tribal Council, completing personal visits, and producing educational material to improve hygiene. Annie's biggest fight was against tuberculosis. By bridging old traditions with new medicine, Annie encouraged people to seek treatment from hospitals and remain there throughout treatment. This reduced mortality significantly while closing the health disparity that existed between Native populations and the United States collectively.

Marcello Malpighi is widely recognized as the founder of microscopic anatomy. His seminal discoveries of the pulmonary alveoli, blood capillaries, and renal glomeruli revolutionized existing medical knowledge, earning him fame and international recognition. He discovered the respiratory system of insects and described, for the first time, their excretory apparatus. He laid the foundations of modern embryology by characterizing the early stages of organ development in the chick embryo and was among the first to study the anatomy and biology of plants. Malpighi also faced family challenges, including his younger brother's involvement in a homicide, and relentless attacks by followers of traditional medicine. The purpose of this paper is to revisit Malpighi's extraordinary life and works, focusing on his struggles with detractors, who questioned the usefulness of his microscopic observations and resisted the new ideas of modern medicine.

Eugène Hertoghe (1860-1928), a Belgian internist and former vice-president of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, made significant contributions to the understanding and treatment of chronic hypothyroidism. He provided a detailed clinical description of the condition, emphasizing its multisystemic manifestations and hereditary aspects. Hertoghe also documented the therapeutic use of thyroid extract, reporting its effectiveness in alleviating symptoms of hypothyroidism. Among his contributions, he described the "Hertoghe sign," a rare clinical feature characterized by the loss of the outer third of the eyebrows, commonly associated with myxoedema, as well as with cases of toxic poisoning, infections, and atopic dermatitis.

This article explores the life and work of Dr Caroline F. Hamilton, one of the pioneering female physicians sent from the USA to the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century. Over a career spanning three decades, Hamilton provided critical medical care, especially to women, at the Azariah Smith Memorial Hospital in Aintab, overcoming legal, cultural, and political obstacles to become one of the first women licensed to practise medicine in the region. Her contributions, particularly in treating Muslim women who had limited access to male doctors, were significant in advancing healthcare in a conservative society. Hamilton's role extended beyond direct patient care, she also trained local health workers, contributing to long-term improvements in healthcare. Her efforts during times of war, epidemics, and humanitarian crises exemplified her resilience and dedication. This article highlights Hamilton's broader legacy, examining how her work reflects the intersection of gender, medicine, and missionary activity in a complex geopolitical context while also contributing to the introduction of Western medical practices in the Ottoman Empire.

IntroductionPeter Shaw (1694-1763) was an English physician who practised in London and Scarborough, Yorkshire. He was appointed physician to Kings George II and III. Shaw published many medical texts as well as translations of Lord Francis Bacon and Robert Boyle.MethodHistorical examination of Shaw's text A Treatise of Incurable Diseases (1723).ResultsShaw states that 'incurable' conditions offer an opportunity to examine the cause of disease and its treatment. He proposes a model for a comparative trial of 'antidote' for hydrophobia (rabies) in one of two dogs and - if successful - in humans.ConclusionShaw's proposal is an early model for translational medical research from animals to humans to ensure effectiveness and safety. The evidence suggests that Shaw's was an inspiration for Hauksbee the Younger's 1743 proposed 'experimentum crucis' of venereal disease treatments. That is because in 1731 they co-authored 'An Essay for Introducing a Portable Laboratory'. Furthermore, Hauksbee reveals that Shaw was actively involved in early enquiries into the efficacy of his venereal medication. Due to shared roots in Lichfield and an interest in spa water treatment, the authors conjecture that Shaw's comparative approach might have roots in Sir John Floyer's 1702 controlled trial of cold-water on athleticism.

The physician, activist, essayist, radical free thinker, polyglot and first African American medical graduate James McCune Smith has for long been a forgotten figure. Despite extensive writings, a lack of oratory skills, when compared with those of his contemporaries, had relegated him to a lesser place in the pantheon of the abolitionist movement and overdue recognition. His education at Glasgow University provided a knowledge he applied not only to his medical practice and publications but also in his wider writings. In championing equality, emancipation and the abolition of slavery McCune Smith did not hold back in calling out pomposity, inaccuracy and the misrepresentation of facts by others, irrespective of their position or prominence. His forensic approach and knowledge of the medical literature of the times were evident from his student days to the last essays. This article addresses the formative years, exile in Glasgow to achieve the education denied in his homeland and his return to New York as a newly qualified physician.