Morell Mackenzie's Contribution to the Description of Spasmodic Dysphonia.

OBJECTIVES: Since the middle of the 20th century, most discussions of spasmodic dysphonia (SD) reference a paper by Ludwig Traube published in1871 as the first historical citation, crediting him with priority for this clinical syndrome. However, our recent research has determined that the original observation by Traube was published in 1864 and does not in fact describe what is currently recognized as SD. It appears that many clinics throughout Europe and North America were investigating and publishing observations on a range of voice disorders. METHODS: The wider context of work on laryngeal disorders in the 1860s-1870s is considered. One of Traube's contemporaries, Morell Mackenzie, made significant contributions to the understanding of laryngeal movement disorder and its consequences for the voice. These will be examined to gain a clearer focus on the characterization of this disorder. RESULTS: The clinical descriptions published by Morrell Mackenzie in the 1860s provide details that conform quite closely to our current-day understanding of SD. CONCLUSIONS: The citation of Traube's "hysterical" patient links to mid 20th-century views of the functional nature of SD and the utility of psychiatric treatment. The description presented by Mackenzie is consistent with current views of SD as a movement disorder.

Tracing Spasmodic Dysphonia: The Source of Ludwig Traube's Priority.

OBJECTIVES: Since the mid-20th century, one citation is given historical priority as the first description of spasmodic dysphonia (SD): Ludwig Traube's 1871 case of the "spastic form of nervous hoarseness." Our objective is to understand how this case serves as the foundation of understanding laryngeal movement disorders. METHODS: The original German paper was located and translated. Bibliographical and bibliometric methods are used to determine the citation history of this original source over the past 140 years. RESULTS: Although secondary citations in contemporary publications typically credit Traube for establishing the clinical entity SD, his case does not conform to currently accepted diagnostic features. Citation patterns indicate the source of Traube's priority is publications by Arnold and Luchsinger, mid-20th-century ENT clinicians, particularly their influential 1965 textbook used to train US and UK clinicians on voice disorders for several generations. CONCLUSIONS: Sometimes secondary citations in medical literature lead to the inadvertent perpetuation of factual misrepresentation. The clinical picture of Traube's original case does not represent what clinicians would recognize as SD today. The rich 19th-century literature on voice disorders is a valuable resource for present day clinicians.

Spasmodic dysphonia: let's look at that again.

G. Paul Moore influenced the study of spasmodic dysphonia (SD) with his 1960 publication that examined the neurological, medical, and vocal fold behavior in a group of patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD). This review of advances in the diagnosis and treatment of SD follows a time line of research that can be traced in part to the early work of Moore et al. This article reviews the research in ADSD over the past 50 plus years. The capstone events that brought SD to its present day level of management by laryngologists and speech-language pathologists are highlighted. A look to the future to understand more of the disorder is offered for this debilitating disorder.

Looking outside the (voice)box.

Laura S. Brown, PhD, is a clinical and forensic psychologist in independent practice in Seattle, Washington. The bulk of her scholarly work has been in the fields of feminist therapy theory, trauma treatment, lesbian and gay issues, assessment and diagnosis, ethics and standards of care in psychotherapy, and cultural competence. She has authored or edited ten professional books, including the award-winning Subversive Dialogues: Theory in Feminist Therapy, as well as more than 140 other professional publications. She has also recently published her first book for general audiences, Your turn for care: Surviving the aging and death of the adults who harmed you. Laura has been featured in five psychotherapy training videos produced by the American Psychological Association. She was President of American Psychological Association Divisions 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women), 44 (Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Issues), and 56 (Trauma Psychology). Laura was also President of the Washington State Psychological Association. She is the founder and Director of the Fremont Community Therapy Project, a low-fee psychotherapy training clinic in Seattle. In the fall of 2000, she was the on-site psychologist for the reality show Survivor: The Australian Outback. In 1987, Laura lost her voice and was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia. In 1988, she found her voice again.

Morell Mackenzie and Crown Prince Frederick: an unpublished manuscript from the Royal Society of Medicine Library.

The story of Morell Mackenzie and his involvement in the case of Crown Prince Frederick III (the future Emperor of Germany) is as well known as it is controversial. The consequences of the case were profound, both medically and politically. Most documents concerning the case are affected by varying degrees of bias, and as a result our understanding of the true events is incomplete. We present a brief summary of the case, and review an unpublished manuscript which adds to our understanding of the events. This manuscript is supportive of Mackenzie's early management of the Crown Prince's illness and acknowledges the importance of the case in medical history.