Browsing: Health/Medicine

A Brief History On June 13, 1893, President Grover Cleveland was only a few months into his second term when he went to his doctor to complain of soreness and a rough patch in his mouth.  The doctor determined the President had a tumor in his mouth and removal of the tumor would be the appropriate medical action. Digging Deeper Removal of the tumor would entail removing a large piece of Cleveland’s upper jaw, but secrecy was the word of the day and the surgery took place on a yacht sailing off Long Island to keep it from the public. …

A Brief History On January 31, 1747, the London Lock Hospital opened as the first clinic specifically for the treatment of venereal diseases! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find many diseases today are identified as “venereal” or sexually transmitted by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Back in the days when science had not yet discovered the microscopic causes of disease, Europeans thought mainly of syphilis when addressing the subject of venereal disease.  Although it is not proven beyond a doubt, many scientists think that syphilis was unknown in Europe until infected sailors among the crews of Christopher Columbus’s ships…

A Brief History On December 28, 1895, the world of medicine and airport security were forever changed when William Roentgen published his paper describing the production of X-rays. Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find Roentgen, a German physicist, having invented a machine to produce electro-magnetic radiation emitting X-rays. Sometimes called Roentgen Rays in honor of their discoverer, his research and careful documentation led to Roentgen receiving the first Nobel Prize for Physics. Quickly seizing the opportunity his research afforded him, Roentgen developed a way to pass X-rays through an object and onto a target material to create a picture of…

A Brief History On December 19, 1956, Dr. John Bodkins Adams was accused of murdering 160 (or more!) of his patients! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find Dr. Bodkins practicing medicine in Sussex, England when suspicions began about his practice. Never considered a “good” doctor, Adams was a poor student and considered a sloppy and inefficient doctor, although for some reason he made spectacular sums of money.  Not being accepted as a worthy peer by other doctors should have been a clue! Odd facets of Adams practice surfaced, such as being named in at least 132 of their wills.  His…

A Brief History On this date, December 10, 1907, a long running feud between the medical community and anti-vivisectionist activists boiled over into the worst of the riots and disturbances over the statue of a dog! Digging Deeper Digging deeper we find the turn of the century London medical community leaving the dark ages of medicine and trying to approach something more like the research we have today. Part of that scientific quest included the practice of vivisection, dissecting animals while they are still alive.  This practice was used for research and also for the instruction of medical students, and…