Ethics, Medicine and Public Health最新文献

In this essay, we will first look at an iconodiagnosis of a portrait by van Eyck (15th century), showing notably an ear lobe crease. Frank's sign is then compared with contextual and pathographic data relating to eminent cardinals during Hundred Years’ War, Albergati and Beaufort, who both could have been the model of this enigmatic painting. After discussing how iconodiagnosis may also contribute to respond to an art enigma, we will present the Frank's sign within van Eyck's overall work, highlighting the historical presence of ear lobe disease. To the best of our knowledge, these artworks could be the earliest known paintings depicting Frank's sign, and may provide a rough idea of its prevalence in Western Europe, 15th century.

Background

This paper responds to an essay in the journal that talks about the challenges and consequent criteria in dealing with truth, which is claimed to be absolute. The target essay hinges on Aristotelian and Platonic logical principles as criteria to argue for a real scientific discourse in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methodology

The paper utilizes theoretical critique.

Discussion

Scientific knowledge about public health is not about absolute truth but the latest justifications. Truth could at best be a commitment to a perspective, which scientism's verificationist principles are not entirely concerned about.

Perspectives

In aligning with perspectivism about truth, one does not necessarily relapse to relativism. That there are different Covid-19 reports does not mean that they are lies or distortions to a necessary absolute truth.

Background

Artistic representations of suspicious breast nodules, such as tumors, have often been examined and debated. This approach is nevertheless subject to sources of bias that weaken the “dramatic” nature of certain iconodiagnosis.

Methodology

We looked at three masterpieces of Western art that have not, to the best of our knowledge, been examined previously in this context: “Adam and Eve” (c. 1507) by Albrecht Dürer; “Venus in Vulcan's forge” (1641), by the Le Nain brothers; and “Jupiter and Juno on Mount Ida” (c. 1795), by James Barry. After a brief description of the origins of the works and the cases, we discuss some putative abnormal senological features and the corresponding iconodiagnostic pitfalls with regard to the medical-artistic literature.

Results/Discussion

Eve's retraction of the nipple, associated to a voluminous axillary bulge and a dark dimple in the lower-outer quadrant, has to be balanced with the stylistic curvature of the finger and falling shoulder line, echoing to a potential risk of misdiagnosis due to the proper influence of artistic style. As for Venus, a dark dimple, reinforcing the impression of a loss of curvature associated with a putative mass in the upper-outer quadrant, might result from a simple shadow effect. Lastly, Juno, in a variation of the antique pose of the Venus Pudica, indicates a breast nodule by almost palpating it with her ring finger. The discoloration of the pigment over a possibly damaged structure might have induced an impression of relief. However, an engraving features a superposable accentuation in this region that is preferentially affected by breast tumors.

Conclusion/Perspectives

These three cases illustrate, from an educational standpoint, certain methodological limitations that must be taken account in the sequential iconodiagnosis process. These presumed artefactual abnormal senological features also reflects the difficulty of finding reliable, written, etiological information on mammary masses in women throughout the ages.

Background

During Covid waves, the management of hospital overload, selection of patients admitted to intensive care, isolation of the general population, revealed the importance of political and economic choices, explicit or not, which involve our entire society. The current degraded functioning of the hospital system in various western countries has accentuated social tensions that are at the origin of a real existential suffering felt by all.

Methodology

Our hypothesis that in the post-Covid 19 era, two mains ethical issues raised for health care professionals: the risk of healthcare professionals’ loneliness and the impact of digital technology on the medical decision-making process.

Results/discussion

First, we discuss the loneliness according Arendt's philosophy, in which loneliness extinguishes all capacity for initiative and action and meaning losing the link with patient and other healthcare professional. Second, we explain how that digital technology is a risk for clinical intelligence and the healthcare relationship, producing a process of disappearance of the heart of care by substituting the action of a care shared with others to a form of doing that has become essentially operational. Then, we argue that debate and collegiality, which means deciding together by consensus and based on reflection, is essential to prevent these risks.

Conclusion/perspectives

Clinical ethics must foster multidisciplinary discussions in the decision-making process and restore the ability of caregivers to decide, at the origin of collective action in care.

Background

This report discusses the patholo-anatomical features of a typical Jael Syndrome shown in the portrait of a 16th century Hungarian Hussar Captain named Márk Baksa that is currently part of the “Wunderkammer” of Ambras Castle Museum, Innsbruck, Austria. It shows the soldier severely wounded by a lance that perforates the skull entering into his right eye and leaving at the neck.

Methodology

This study was carried out following the published methodological procedures and recommendations that shall be applied when performing iconodiagnosis.

Results/discussion

This injury was sustained at the siege of Györ in 1598 CE, from which he was reported to survive following treatment by skilled military surgeons. The true weapon was probably a jarid, an Ottoman throwing spear. Reconstruction of the presumed trajectory through the skull and neck assumed that no vital organ or structure was injured given that Baksa survived the attack.

Conclusion/perspectives

The portrait of Márk Baksa highlighted the bravery of the Hungarian military during the 16th century Austro-Hungarian-Turkish war in the Balkans and used as an icon of their prowess. This multidisciplinary investigation shows that iconodiagnosis coupled with the analysis of historical documentary sources and modern-day medical imaging can be of help in determining the authenticity of traumatic lesions in individuals from the past.