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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

History of the spinal cord localization.

The first reference to spinal cord injury is recorded in the Edwin Smith papyrus. Little was known of the function of the cord before Galen's experiments conducted in the second century AD. Galen described the protective coverings of the spinal cord: the bone, posterior longitudinal ligament, dura mater, and pia mater. He gave a detailed account of the gross anatomy of the spinal cord. During the medieval period (AD 700-1500) almost nothing of note was added to Galen's account of spinal cord structure. The first significant work on the spinal cord was that of Blasius in 1666. He was the first to differentiate the gray and white matter of the cord and demonstrated for the first time the origin of the anterior and posterior spinal nerve roots. The elucidation of the various tracts in the spinal cord actually began with demonstrations of pyramidal decussation by Mistichelli (1709) and Pourfoir du Petit (1710). Huber (1739) recorded the first detailed account of spinal roots and the denticulate ligaments. In 1809, Rolando described the substantia gelatinosa. The microtome, invented in 1824 by Stilling, proved to be one of the fundamental tools for the study of spinal cord anatomy. Stilling's technique involved slicing frozen or alcohol-hardened spinal cord into very thin sections and examining them unstained by using the naked eye or a microscope. With improvements in histological and experimental techniques, modern studies of spinal cord anatomy and function were initiated by Brown-Sequard. In 1846, he gave the first demonstration of the decussation of the sensory tracts. The location and direction of fiber tracts were uncovered by the experimental studies of Burdach (1826), Turck (1849), Clarke (1851), Lissauer (1855), Goll (1860), Flechsig (1876), and Gowers (1880). Bastian (1890) demonstrated that in complete transverse lesions of the spinal cord, reflexes below the level of the lesion are lost and muscle tone is abolished. Flatau (1894) observed the laminar nature of spinal pathways. The 20th century ushered in a new era in the evaluation of spinal cord function and localization; however, the total understanding of this remarkable organ remains elusive. Perhaps the next century will provide the answers to today's questions about spinal cord localization.

Animals↗

PubMed1976

Compound elevated fractures of the skull.

The author presents two cases of compound elevated fractures of the skull and discusses the mechanics of their production. These lesions, seldom recognized in modern clinical practice, are first described in the oldest scientific and surgical treatise known, the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus, over 5000 years ago.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed2000

The fight against rheumatism: from willow bark to COX-1 sparing drugs.

Man has been fighting rheumatism for thousands of years. Early therapy began with the use around the world of decoctions or extracts of herbs or plants such as willow bark or leaves. Most or all of these turned out to contain salicylates. The first record was about 3,500 years ago in the Ebers papyrus. Hippocrates, Celsus, Pliny the Elder, Dioscorides and Galen all recommended decoctions containing salicylate for rheumatic pain. A country parson, the Reverend Edward Stone of Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, made the first "clinical trial" of willow bark (1). He was surprised by its bitter taste, which reminded him of cinchona bark (containing quinine), then being used to treat malaria. He harvested a pound of willow bark, dried it, pulverized it and dispersed it in tea, small beer or water. He found in 50 patients that doses of 1 dram (1.8g) cured their fever. He concluded "I have no other motives for publishing this valuable specific, than that it may have a fair and full trial in all its variety of circumstances and situations, and that the world may reap the benefits accruing from it". Salicylic acid was chemically synthesised in 1860 by Kolbe in Germany and its ready supply led to even more extended usage as an external antiseptic, as an antipyretic and in the treatment of rheumatism.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

The origin of the Corpus Hippocraticum from ancestors to Codices Antiqi: the Codex Vaticanus Graecus 276.

The Corpus Hippocraticum (C.H.) was originated by the collection of writings of late Greek medicine, mainly of Hippocratic school. The original works have been transmitted through rolls of papyrus or parchments as single treatise or small group of treatises until the IX-X century A.D., when in Byzantium were active scriptoria devoted to collect classical works of both religious and profane argument. Under the auspices of Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenete (tenth century), the tendency to encyclopedism of that period induces large collections of thematic works, i.e. about classical philosophy, astronomy, mathematics or medicine, as may be argued by the content of the Encyclopedia [2 Greek words] (X century). Vetusti codices, such as Vindobonensis med. IV, Parisinus 2253 (A), Laurentianus 74.7 (B), Marcianus Venentus gr. 269 (M) and Vaticanus gr. 276 (V) represent witnessing of the formation of the C.H.: codicological analysis suggests that these manuscripts have been handwritten in scriptoria of Byzantium's area, then carried in Western Europe. Since the first testimony of V is at the Royal Court in Palermo, the Norman Kings played a relevant role in tracing codices from Byzantium to Sicily, as well as Cardinal Bessarion to Rome and Venice.

Byzantium↗

PubMed1993

[Pharmacopoeia in ancient Egypt].

Ancient Egyptian pharmacological science is high part of the Egyptian medicine, as evidenced by the so-called pharmacological papyrus Ebers, which contains prescriptions with different kinds of components of vegetable, mineral and animal origin. These data suggest that Egyptian pharmacopeia had an exceptional complexity in the whole of ancient medicine. Egyptian medical knowledge influenced Mediterranean civilizations, as evidenced not only by the Greek translations of names of components but also by the Egyptian and Egyptian-like prescriptions found in the Corpus Hippocraticum.

Egypt, Ancient↗

PubMed1992

Did the Hippocratic physician treat hopeless cases?

The question of whether the Hippocratic physician treated hopeless cases is discussed, and the pertinent passages of the Corpus Hippocraticum dealing with the matter are reviewed. Only one passage (Diseases I, IV) unequivocally advocates treatment when the disease is fatal; all the others, in which hopeless cases are considered, indicate that the physician should not treat or should not treat if possible. The author underlines that, in ancient medicine, the non-treatment of hopeless cases was common and refers to pertinent passages in the Sushruta Samhita, the Caraka Samhita, and the Smith Papyrus. The conclusion is that the Hippocratic physician did not treat hopeless cases, and that such an approach was not only consonant with the paradigms of ancient medicine but of contemporary medicine as well. The contemporary attitude toward the treatment of hopeless cases and the concept of "supportive treatment" and "palliative therapy" is discussed.

Critical Illness↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Neuroscience in ancient Egypt and in the school of Alexandria].

INTRODUCTION: About five thousand years ago, one of the most ancient, important and enduring civilisations in the history of Mankind flourished on the banks of the Nile. In Egypt, all the branches of human knowledge attained a high degree of development and today it is considered the mother of medicine. Despite the marked religious component that affected all its activities, the medicine of the Pharaohs was practised in a rational and deductive manner, and the Egyptians were the inventors of clinical observation. METHOD: The desert climate of the Nile Valley has preserved monuments, mummies and papyruses which have enabled us to get a certain idea of the degree of development reached in medical matters. The aim of this work is to analyse them from a neuroscientific point of view. The anatomical discoveries of the Egyptians originated in the inspection of wounds and the practice of embalming. They came to know a large number of diagnoses and were able to prescribe many different forms of treatment. They also attained a certain proficiency in dealing with neurotraumatological patients. They practised anamnesis, prognostics and a regulated surgery that infrequently included trephination. Their conservatism meant that, after the Macedonian domination, the traditional Egyptian medicine was replaced the Greek medicinal arts, which reached their maximum period of splendour in the School of Alexandria, where Herophilus and Erasistratus, pioneers in the study of anatomy and brain circulation, were especially renowned. CONCLUSIONS: From the point of view of the neurosciences, the Egyptians were the first to describe the brain, migraine, epilepsy, strokes, tetanus, Bell s palsy and the sequelae of head injuries and of spinal transection. Their artwork sometimes shows neurological patients and, according to Herodotus, there were doctors who were specialised in head diseases and could therefore be considered the precursors of our present day neurologists.

Egypt, Ancient↗

PubMed2002

Spermicides 2002: an overview.

The first-ever written prescription for a contraceptive (barrier method) tampon can be found in the Ebers Papyrus, a compendium of medical practices written in 1550 BC. Modern spermicides are produced in a variety of formulations, including gels, foams, creams, suppositories, pessaries, capsules, foaming tablets and films. Spermicides are relatively inexpensive and widely available over the counter. Most of the currently used spermicides contain the chemical agent (non-ionic detergent) nonoxynol-9. The spermicide 'as a commonly used method' has a very high failure rate (one pregnancy in every four women using this method of contraception for 1 year). Implementation of other, much more effective methods of contraception has made spermicides less and less popular, but recently their potential properties against HIV and STI pathogens (a cause of sexually transmitted diseases) have led to new attention for these products. These properties have been widely evaluated in clinical trials, but the final conclusion does not favor spermicides as the tool for the global fight against HIV/AIDS. There is an urgent need for the invention of a chemical product that, for dual protection, would be administered vaginally before sexual intercourse to kill HIV and other STI pathogens, and at the same time disable or kill sperm. The new era for barrier methods should begin from the development of novel microbicides.

Contraception↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Wound care in the 21st century: lessons from ancient Egypt.

Wound care is becoming increasingly important to geriatricians and long-term care providers. Although pressure ulcers have recently taken the spotlight, wound care actually involves many other types of lesions found commonly in the nursing home environment. Physicians of ancient Egypt were experts in the art and science of healing wounds, as revealed by examination of the Smith Papyrus, one of the oldest medical texts in existence. Today, wound healing is no longer emphasized in medical training and practice. However, long-term care physicians and medical directors are in a perfect position to elevate wound care to its formerly preeminent position in medicine. To reach this goal, an agenda needs to be set for physician education on the techniques and tools of wound healing, including prevention, interdisciplinary collaboration, documentation, and correct choice of products.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

[Notes on the state of ophthalmology in the ancient Egypt].

The article presents the state of ophthalmological knowledge in the ancient Egypt. Medical and ophthalmological information included in Smith's and Ebers papyruses are discussed. The first ever known ophthalmologist by the name of Iry is mentioned. The article also presents the history of medical school in Alexandria.

Egypt, Ancient↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Historical evolution of inguinal hernia treatment].

Hernia (know breuk in Dutch, rompure in French, keal in Greek and rupture in English) has plagued humans throughout recorded history and descriptions of hernia reduction date back to the Ebers papyrus in Egypt. In medicine it is difficult to find historical periods, but we found two eras of uneven time: pre-technique and technique. The first was distinguished by a blend of empiricism and magic, and the second for greater comprehension of the human body; however much of modern surgical techniques result from contributions of early surgeons. Nonetheless, it was not until the late 19th century that hernia surgeon Eduardo Bassini published his work Nuovo Metodo per la Cura Radiacale dell"Ernia Inguinale (in 1889). Among the most notable contemporany classic hernia repairs are the Bassini, Halsted, Shouldice, and Tension-free repair techniques.

Hernia, Inguinal↗

PubMed2004

[Diabetes: from dietary strategies to pharmacotherapy and disease management].

The first description of diabetes dates back to the 3,500-year-old Ebers papyrus. Until the 16th century diabetes was traditionally thought of as a disease of the kidney and the liver. Paracelsus was the first to suspect an association between diabetes and an altered blood composition. Treatment and knowledge about the origin of diabetes have changed. For the patients, the 20th century has been most important. Their chance to survive increased with the introduction of insulin. Today, diabetology is based on the "best practice", on evidence-based medicine that focuses on the diabetic patients' quality of life.

Diabetes Mellitus↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The Pharaohs: slave merchants or organizers of an efficient welfare system? Re-writing history through new documentation and research].

The Authors have studied documents dating from the era of the Pharaohs, that is to say: the papyruses of Ebers and Smith, and have come to the conclusion that the recent claims by some archaeologists that the Egyptian workmen who built the Pyramids, were protected by health regulations and not treated as slaves, is true. This is a new interpretation of Egyptian history, because up to now, it has always been thought that the workmen were slaves. The construction of the Pharaoh's tomb was a team work including members of the upper classes (architects, physicians) and the lower classes (masons, workmen) and was the demonstration of a contribution and a symbol of recognition from all members of the team to the head of the society (the Pharaoh), who was their employer and took their interests into consideration e.g. health regulations. The Authors have also deduced from other sources of information that a public health system and welfare organization, comparable to our present day Legislative Decree 626/94, did in fact exist in the ancient world.

Egypt, Ancient↗

PubMed2004

[Contribution of Ancient Egypt to cardiovascular medicine].

As early as the Old Kingdom, 3,000 years before J.C., the Egyptians worked out the principles of medicine starting from their clinical observations and the description of the effectiveness of some remedies on the noted disorders. The originality of the Egyptian medicine was to try to offer rational explanations to the noted clinical expressions. They were the first to establish the importance of the pulse and its relationship with the contractions of the heart. Egyptians, authors of the first known book of cardiology the "treaty of the heart" in the Ebers papyrus, incontestably deserve the title of pioneers of the cardiology.

Cardiology↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Historical aspects of a frequent anal disease: haemorrhoids].

In this report the authors outline the main historical aspects of haemorrhoids after a thorough review of the literature. The first texts concerning haemorrhoids are the ancient Egyptian papyruses. The twenty centuries of the history of haemorrhoids are marked by multiple pathogenetic theories, and of these the vascular and the sliding of the anal mucosa are still valid. From an analysis of the historical texts and the most recent publications, we deduce that the principles of therapy are substantially unchanged since the days of Hippocrates. In conclusion, we can say that, as in ancient times, the therapy of haemorrhoids is based on three fundamental approaches: surgical treatment, ambulatorial non-surgical treatment and medical treatment.

Hemorrhoids↗

PubMed1992

Combining new technologies for effective collection development: a bibliometric study using CD-ROM and a database management program.

Librarians have used bibliometrics for many years to assess collections and to provide data for making selection and deselection decisions. With the advent of new technology--specifically, CD-ROM databases and reprint file database management programs--new cost-effective procedures can be developed. This paper describes a recent multidisciplinary study conducted by two library faculty members and one allied health faculty member to test a bibliometric method that used the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases on CD-ROM and the Papyrus database management program to produce a new collection development methodology.

Bibliometrics↗

PubMed2005

[Cotyla quid? On the early history of late medieval medical volume calculations].

As can be made evident chiefly by their comparative numerical examination, the Egyptian pyramids (the step pyramids being excluded for the present purpose) have been, from the beginning up to the Egyptian fashion in early Imperial Rome, designed and built with the additional intention of physically manifesting a volume of pi x 10k x (average value) 0.96824 cm3, where k is either a positive integer or zero, and where pi is a short product, following very restrictive formation rules which to some extent are traceable in the papyrus Rhind, of prime numbers. Conceptually (but not really as to the Hin at least) this establishes the capacity units 1 [2]Heqat = 9682.4 cm3 and 1 Hin = 484.12 cm3 already for the Old Kingdom. It is shown further that the Attic Medimnos as introduced in the course of finishing Solon's reforms is identical with the Egyptian volume system's standard unification: pisigma = 2 x 3 x 5 x 7 x 11 x 23, and k = 0, so that 1 Medimnos = about 51443 cm3. Accordingly and by means of some adjacent considerations a Kotyle / Cotyla of 269 cm3 +/- 1 cm3 is established for the Hellenistic, early Arabic, and Medieval Latin medicine.

Egypt↗

PubMed2006

Status of Eldana saccharina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), its host plants and natural enemies in Ethiopia.

Surveys for sugarcane stem borers were undertaken in Ethiopia to determine the prevalence and distribution of these and their natural enemies in crops and indigenous host plants. Eldana saccharina Walker was not recovered from sugarcane, but was present in three indigenous wetland sedges, Cyperus papyrus, C. fastigiatus and C. dives in the southern, central and northern part of the country. The latter indigenous host plant was present in waterways adjacent to sugarcane on the commercial sugar estates. The tachinids Schembria eldanae Barraclough and Actia sp. were common parasitoids of E. saccharina larvae in these indigenous sedges. The braconid Dolichogenidea sp. was recovered from E. saccharina larvae in C. dives. Pathogens comprising Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis and Entomophthora sp., were found to be important mortality factors of E. saccharina larvae in the indigenous sedges. The occurrence of E. saccharina in Ethiopia is reported for the first time, and the host plant preferences of the borer and its indigenous natural enemies found during the surveys are recorded. In addition, its potential threat to sugarcane production in Ethiopia is discussed.

Animals↗