ABSTRACT
Since the antiquity up to the 19th century fever goes for an illness of its own rights. About 1900 temperature measurement has become clinical routine and fever synonymous with elevated body heat. In the time before accelerated pulse rate was the pathognomic sign. The detection of specific pathogen organisms leads to a new understanding of nosology and to the dissolution of the fever entity. However the antipyretic therapy remains essentially the same until the appearance of antibiotics.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/history , Fever of Unknown Origin/history , Infections/history , Thermometers/history , History, 15th Century , History, 16th Century , History, 17th Century , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , History, Ancient , History, Medieval , HumansABSTRACT
Description of the most important steps in the evolution of intestinal suture technique: The simple Lembert suture and its precursors, the two-layer suture, and the adapting one-layer suture. The contributions of Ph. F. Ramdohr. Wolfenbüttel, 1727, A. Lembert, Paris, 1826, F. Wydler, Aarau, 1865, and Th. Kocher, Bern, 1878-1907, are presented in more details.
Subject(s)
Anastomosis, Surgical/history , Intestines/surgery , Suture Techniques/history , Anastomosis, Surgical/methods , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , Humans , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To see whether a collection of portraits depicting inhabitants of a defined geographical region and covering several centuries is a useful source for studying the sociocultural significance and epidemiology of particular visible diseases, such as goitre, which is known to have been common in this region. DESIGN: Systematic review of portraits and description of visible signs of illness. SETTING: The Burgerbibliothek (archives of the burghers' community) in Berne, Switzerland. DATA SOURCES: 3615 portraits; 2989 of individuals whose identity is known and 626 of individuals whose identity is unknown. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visible signs of illness evaluated by means of a standardised visual assessment. RESULTS: Visible signs of illness in portraits were common and appeared in up to 82% (451/553) of paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. The most common findings were signs of goitre in women and overweight in men. In only the portraits where the neck region could be evaluated, 41% of women with known identities (139/343) had goitre compared with 24% of men with known identities (21/86). The prevalence of goitre was even higher in sitters whose identities were unknown: 63% in men (5/8) and 68% in women (82/121). Overweight in people with known identities was more common in men than in women (30%, 346/1145 v 44%, 811/1844). Overweight was most common in sitters aged >40 than in those aged 40 or younger. Other conditions, such as missing teeth, amputated limbs, or osteoarthritic deformations were surprisingly rare in the portraits under evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Goitre and other diseases are under-represented in the people depicted in these portraits. Artistic idealisation is a likely explanation for this observation: what was reproduced depended on what was considered pathological or shameful at the time, and therefore depended on age and sex. Stigmatising details may have been omitted. Further, artistic skills and contemporary fashion may have influenced the way in which people were reproduced. People depicted are possibly not representative of the general Bernese population as they constituted a socioeconomically advantaged group.
Subject(s)
Goiter/history , Medicine in the Arts , Obesity/history , Portraits as Topic/history , Female , History, 15th Century , History, 16th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , History, Medieval , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
The history of the university dermatology clinic in Bern can be followed back into the 13th century to the founding of the Siechenhaus (hospice for incurable patients) in 1283. The hospice was moved in 1491 to the Breitfeld before the gates of the city, where over the next four centuries it expanded greatly and served patients with leprosy and later syphilis and other skin diseases. In the beginning of the 19th century teaching in dermato-venerology was carried out here. In 1891/82 one of the earliest dermatology clinics was established, as a professorship was established and the clinic moved to a new building on the grounds of the Inselspital, the university hospital. Through the efforts of the first chairmen, E. Lesser and J. Jadassohn, as well as their successors, dermato-venerology has remained well-established in Bern. We review the important dates, individuals and institutions and their role on the long development of dermato-venerology in Bern from its early roots until today.
Subject(s)
Dermatology/history , Hospices/history , Hospitals, University/history , Venereology/history , History, 15th Century , History, 16th Century , History, 17th Century , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , History, Medieval , Humans , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
For centuries the general practitioner assumed, among other functions, that of the alienist insofar as mental disorders were regarded as accessible to treatment at all. After 1800 "psychiatry" developed as a medical specialty essentially based on the growing number of psychiatric hospitals. Thus, the general practitioner was left with the treatment of less severe mental disturbances like neuroses and with the selection of patients to be treated by the specialists. The introduction of psychotropic drugs in the 1950s opened new possibilities in the field of out-patient psychiatry.
Subject(s)
Family Practice/history , Mental Disorders/history , Patient Care Team/history , Psychiatry/history , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , Humans , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
Since antiquity medicine has repeatedly been accused of being noxious (or ineffective). Physicians have always admitted that their art-because of its efficacy-could be dangerous. Lack of success or unwanted effects stimulate research in quest of a better definition of efficacy and to improve safety. In practice, however, it is necessary to act here and now, by the available means, hopefully in line with Hippocrates' precaution, <
Subject(s)
Iatrogenic Disease , Quality of Health Care/history , Europe , History, 15th Century , History, 16th Century , History, 17th Century , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , History, Ancient , History, Medieval , Humans , Terminology as TopicABSTRACT
As a young doctor Albrecht Haller (1708-1777) practised medicine in his native town, Berne, and kept a detailed case book during the years 1731 to 1736. The manuscript is preserved at the Burgerbibliothek Berne (Ms. Haller 19) and is still unpublished. It is written in Latin and documents some 2300 consultations given to 296 patients. A first attempt is made to analyse this valuable but complex source.
Subject(s)
Manuscripts, Medical as Topic/history , Medical Records , Referral and Consultation/history , History, 18th Century , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
In short review some milestones of the history of tuberculosis research are outlined. Perspectives on the past, present and the future of tuberculosis research are linked to these historical facts. Within this context the contribution of members of the Medical Faculty at the University of Berne such as L. Lichtheim, Th. Langhans and E. A. E. Klebs receive particular consideration in connection with the 125th anniversary issue of the "Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift" which was founded in 1871 by Klebs.
Subject(s)
Tuberculosis/history , Europe , History, 19th Century , Humans , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
The discovery of the tubercle bacillus by Robert Koch in March 1882 was immediately reported by the medical press, including that of Switzerland. Among the clinicians most active in introducing the new views and techniques to Swiss medical practitioners was Ludwig Lichtheim (1845-1928), professor of internal medicine in Berne (1879-1888), who had been acquainted with Koch since their time in Breslau. Lichtheim's successful efforts are illustrated by quotations from his (unpublished) memoirs.
Subject(s)
Bacteriology/history , Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Tuberculosis/history , History, 19th Century , Humans , Switzerland , Tuberculosis/microbiologyABSTRACT
Ear patients were treated in Berne for the first time in 1841 at the Eye Policlinic. Professor Wilhelm Rau (1804-1861), ophthalmologist, was the founder of the first Ear Infirmary on the European continent. A diary dated from 1845 to 1863 contains information about the patients, their diagnoses and therapies. Chronic inflammations of the Eustachian tube and the middle ear were the most frequent diseases. Catheterisation of the Eustachian tube was an important tool in diagnosis and therapy.
