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Medicina Historica
Number of Followers: 1

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Online) 2532-2370
Published by Mattioli 1885 srl

[9 journals]

“Cometomancy” and Francisco Sánchez: an additional
reflection on to causality
- Authors: Oriana Rosero; Fabian Jaimes
  Abstract: The search for a causal mechanism begins with the observation of an association, but there is a long way until the fact that is observed as an association can be configured as a cause. The scientific community has historically demanded tools that facilitate the determination of causality. In 1965, Sir Austin Bradford Hill proposed nine postulates, which were adapted by modern epidemiologists as criteria. Later, Alfredo Morabia in 1991 showed that the concern to establish causality came from more than two hundred years ago, recognizing a great similarity between Hill's criteria and David Hume proposals for causality. However, the origin of these criteria could even come from four hundred years ago. In this reflection, we present the arguments taken from an ancient poem and contrast them with Hill's criteria, to propose Francisco Sánchez as one of the first authors and physician trying to give a logical and rational order from association to causation, probably introducing the philosophical origin of the current Hill´s criteria.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Blood transfusion during the Spanish civil war
- Authors: Antonio Reguera Teba; Ana Isabel Parras Garrido
  Abstract: By the end of World War I, the value of blood transfusion was widely recognized, but it was not until the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) that large civilian blood donor organizations were created to provide preserved blood for transfusion in civilian and military patients on both sides. The Spanish Civil War was the scene of several surgical innovations, which were introduced into both war and civil medicine. Indirect blood transfusion along with cadaveric transfusion and advances in syphilis eradication were among the most important. This pioneering work allowed the creation, for the first time in history, of military blood transfusion services. This method was later applied in World War II thanks to experience and involves of British volunteer doctors integrated into the Republic's Military Health.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Experiences from the past. Comparative research between hospital archive
sources and human remains
- Authors: Rosagemma Ciliberti
  Abstract: Criminal anthropology has obtained great interest in the field of History of Medicine. Lombroso had several followers between the late 19th and the first half of the 20th century and the literature of that time showed that the positivistic tools of biomedicine were useful to demonstrate a profound connection between “anomalous behaviors and anomalous anatomy”. Although these concepts are outdated, it is interesting to highlight how scientific methods adopted in this case by De Blasio, or the comparison between the archival sources and bone samples, is extremely modern for the time.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Physicians or Immigrants' The Earliest Smallpox Inoculation in Europe
- Authors: Karel Černý
  Abstract: The first effective form of prevention against smallpox, variolation, was introduced to Europe in the early 18th century. This paper examines how the knowledge about variolation was mediated on its way to European medicine. We suggest that there were three primary sources of information on this anti-epidemic measure. Firstly, individuals with immediate experience such as diplomats, their staff, and other travelers, including well known cases such as that of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. Knowledge about the procedure was also shared through the academic networks of the time: medical publications and early scientific journals such as Philosophical Transactions, Ephemerides Academiae Leopoldinae, and Wrocławian Sammlung von Natur-Geschichten. Finally, there were also migrants coming to Europe as healers, traders, or converts, who either offered inoculations or were themselves inoculated. In connection to this group, we provide a newly uncovered record of variolation in Vienna, which moves the date of the earliest inoculation in Europe to several years prior to the year 1721 which is traditionally presented in historical literature on the subject. The primary objective of this paper is providing this discovery with as much socio-professional context as possible given the limited scope of information available on the source.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
The discovery of TNF-alpha: a historical perspective
- Authors: Dr Kustrimovic; Dr Gallo, Dr De Lerma, Dr Piantanida, Dr Mortara, Dr Tanda
  Abstract: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), also known as TNF-alpha (TNF-α), is a pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine that exerts multiple biologic effects. The research journey into the role of TNF has been a roller- coaster ride filled with ups and downs and it is still ongoing. At its discovery, huge expectations were laid upon this cytokine going so far that the cloning of human TNF, which had been achieved and published in 1984, was examined in the general press around the globe, and its therapeutic potential in cancer treatment was welcomed as the opening of a new era in cancer treatment. Nevertheless, the first clinical studies did not yield the expected results and it seemed for a moment that the glory of TNF was ending. But the discovery of the pro-inflammatory effect of TNF changed the course of the research journey of this cytokine. TNF is a highly pleiotropic cytokine and accordingly, it plays a pivotal role in many physiological functions, and is involved in a wide variety of pathological conditions. TNF has become a major target in chronic inflammatory diseases, and its neutralization have delivered the first insights into the development of a novel category of pharmaceuticals, the “biological drugs”.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Karl Moriz Menzel: A Viennese ENT specialist and his escape from the Nazis
- Authors: Josef Hlade; Teresa Lang
  Abstract: This text covers the Austrian-born oto-rhino-laryngologist Karl Moriz Menzel (1837-1944) who, due to his Jewish descent, was forced to flee from his homeland in 1938. For this purpose, Menzel’s estate, which was found in the archives of the College of Physicians in Vienna, is used for the first time ever. The correspondence between Menzel and his teacher Markus Hajek stands out in particular. It provides insights into the fates of two Jewish doctors who were forced to plan their emigration after the ‘Anschluss’. It becomes clear that Hajek assisted Menzel in his escape to Brussels. Menzel is a prime example of the many doctors expelled by the Nazis for racist and political reasons. The authors systematically document for the first time the expulsion of members of the College of Physicians in Vienna.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
War-related disability: Ancient or recent history'
- Authors: Rosagemma Ciliberti; Stefano Alice, Alessandro Bonsignore
  Abstract: This article examines the significance and evolution of war-related disability throughout Italy's history. The concept of war-related disability has antique roots, with references dating back to ancient Rome, where severely wounded war veterans were entitled to social and financial assistance for their reintegration into civilian life through the "missio causaria" system. The First World War marked a turning point in the history of war-related disability. With the introduction of new weapons and military technologies, the number of injured and disabled soldiers reached unprecedented proportions. The post-war challenges called for a more organized and systematic approach to create specific assistance and rehabilitation structures for veterans. The Second World War and subsequent conflicts further underscored the attention given to the issues of war-related disability. Countries around the world sought to provide medical care, rehabilitation, and psychological support to disabled veterans, although often with inequalities and gaps. Despite progress made, the recognition of disabled veterans' rights and their full inclusion in society remain crucial objectives.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Weaving Hope in Tanah Deli: Life and Healthcare of Plantation Workers in
the East Sumatra’s Plantation Belt, 1870-1940
- Authors: Junaidi; Lila Pelita Hati, Nurhabsyah, Kiki Maulana Affandi
  Abstract: The economic growth in the form of the plantation industry in East Sumatra changed the landscape and societal structure in this region. The plantation industry took in plantation workers from outside East Sumatra, namely Chinese, Javanese and Indian. The increasing number of plantation workers had elevated the industrial economy, yet it also caused social and health problems in East Sumatra. These plantation workers were recruited and bound by a regulation called the Koeli Ordonnantie 1880. This ‘Coolie Ordinance’ (Koelie Ordonnantie 1880) regulated the rights and obligations of employers and workers, including health services. This paper aims to explain the life and healthcare of plantation workers in East Sumatra from 1870 to the 1940s. The results of this study reveal changes that occurred in the life and health of plantation workers at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries. The quality of health among plantation workers increased since the early 20th century due to better policies introduced by plantation companies to maintain the health of their workers. The efforts made were curative and preventive actions, as well as the eradication of infectious diseases and epidemics. The curative efforts were carried out by building health facilities and infrastructures such as polyclinics and hospitals. Meanwhile, the preventive efforts carried out included providing better food supplies, adequate drinking water, settlement development and good sanitation. Efforts to eradicate epidemic diseases were made by conducting research and establishing a disease research institute, namely the Medan Pathology Laboratory.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Spanish Flu in Shiraz from 1918 to 1920
- Authors: Seyyed Alireza Golshani; Babak Daneshfard; Seyed Amir Hossein Golshani; Mohammad Ebrahim Zohalinezhad
  Abstract: The Spanish flu outbreak is one of the historical catastrophes in Fars province, especially Shiraz, southern Iran that infected almost the entire population. The epidemic began on 29 October 1918 and continued until 1920 in several waves. Within three years, the population of Shiraz decreased from 50,000 to around 20,000-25,000. The disease killed half of the city population and caused severe damages to its demographic context and economic development. A rather unpleasant remnant of the epidemic is Javan Abad Cemetery in Shiraz. This study aimed to explore the importance of local medical history in Shiraz, the effect of the flu outbreak, World War I, and presence of the British that led to a human-made famine and malnutrition, and the role played by this colonial government in amplifying the Flu outbreak and city decimation. The study also aimed to discuss the type of the disease and treatment used by the British forces.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Editorial
- Authors: Marta Licata
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
The paleopathological collection of the “G. D’Annunzio” University
Museum (Chieti-Pescara, Italy)
- Authors: Ruggero D'Anastasio; Antonietta Di Fabrizio, Assunta Paolucci, Maria Del Cimmuto, Jacopo Cilli, Luigi Capasso
  Abstract: Paleopathology is a multidisciplinary science which studies the origin and evolution of diseases. The main sources of information consist of biological remains (mainly bones and teeth), archaeological finds and historical documents. The study of diseases in prehistoric times is based solely on fossils showing pathological signs. The "G. d’Annunzio" University Museum of Chieti-Pescara (Italy) preserves a rich paleopathological collection consisting of 481 artifacts. The collection consists of plant, animal and human remains with pathological changes resulting from trauma, infectious diseases, joint diseases, tumors, metabolic diseases or nutritional deficiencies and congenital diseases. Each specimen has an inventory number and a technical data sheet, accompanied by photographic images from different viewpoints. The data sheet includes information regarding the taxonomic classification, the dating and origin of the specimen, the description of the lesion and offers a pathological diagnosis. It is a unique collection of its kind, which constitutes a precious source of information even on very ancient diseases, and an opportunity for researchers to study the interactions between ecosystems of the past and extinct animal and plant species through “paleopathological markers”.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
“Capta est ne malitia mutaret intelletum eius...” Study on a natural
mummy from an underground cemetery (18-19th century)
- Authors: Roberta Fusco; Arianna Vanni, Chiara Tesi, Carmelo Messina
  Abstract: Here we present the paleopathological analysis that were recently conducted on one of the mummies present in the hypogeal cemetery of Santa Maria Maggiore in Vercelli, belonging, according to the writings above the tomb, to a young girl. Among the analysis carried out, the anthropological ones were able to confirm the young age of the subject, while the CT ones confirm the natural mummification and showed the presence of Harris lines, leading to the hypothesis that this girl was subjected to alternating periods of stress. Although it is not possible to reach an unequivocal conclusion on the stress suffered by the young woman, the data collected will allow us, first of all, to be able to continue archival research to identify her and her family, and then they will be useful for a larger study that will cover all the skeletal remains present in the cemetery.As our research advances, we anticipate unveiling deeper layers of understanding that contribute to the overarching narrative of this intriguing historical context.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Legal Surrogacy in question
- Authors: Enrico Maestri
  Abstract: This paper is a faithful translation of a discussion between ChatGpt and the author on the ethical and legal implications of surrogacy. ChatGPT’s responses to my doubts or questions show that the OPEN AI chatbot tends to favour the method of accommodation. This is the hermeneutical method used by the High Courts to decide whether the legal rule or precedent to be applied in the case before them is constitutionally correct. ChatGPT prefers to consider controversial issues on the basis of “all things considered” rather than “all or nothing”. In this sense, ChatGPT can be seen as the computational realisation of Ronald Dworkin’s Judge Hercules.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
Dr Hashimoto and the discovery of autoimmune hypothyroidism
- Authors: Natasa Kustrimovic; Gaia Francesca Maria Fazzino , Claudia Ghirardello, Ilaria Mariani, Eliana Piantanida, Maria Laura Tanda, Daniela Gallo, Lorenzo Mortara
  Abstract: Hashimoto’s disease also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), is one of the most common autoimmune diseases involving the thyroid gland. HT that it is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder characterized by immune cell infiltration into thyroid tissue and thyroid-specific autoantibodies, causing thyroid gland destruction and, eventually, hypothyroidism which is the common clinical manifestation. The discovery of HT was a significant step in the history of medicine and paved the way toward the discovery of autoimmunity and endocrine disorders. HT was discovered by Dr Hakaru Hashimoto over 100 years ago. Surprisingly, it took several decades to be recognised as separate disease and acknowledged as a discovery of Dr Hashimoto. Herein, we summarize what is known of Dr Hashimoto biography and his discovery in order to shine a light on one of the most important discoveries linked to the thyroid disease and autoimmune disorders as well.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
The Venetian Giacinto Namias and the explanation of how the voice works.
An example of scientific dissemination in the field of Italian medicine in
the second half of the nineteenth century
- Authors: Andrea Cozza; Alessandro Martini
  Abstract: The letter aims to highlight the contribution of a Venetian doctor, Giacinto Namias, to the knowledge of the mechanisms of the voice in the second half of the 19th century.
  PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000