Franklin's "Cemented Tomb": The Jamme Report of 1928 Revisited.

Few details are known about the fate of the Franklin Expedition after it departed England in 1845. What we do know is derived from the archaeological record, Inuit testimony and brief communications written in 1847 and 1848 from the Expedition. During the 1860s, Charles Francis Hall went to the Arctic in search of survivors, papers, and relics. During Hall's second expedition, two Inuit testimonies emerged which reported unusual site(s) on the Westcoast of King William Island which were reputedly build by the Expedition. Hall believed these sites were either a burial site or a cemented document vault(s). The first testimony, recorded by Hall himself, was obtained from a Pelly Bay Inuk, Su-pung-er, in 1866. The second, was collected from Pelly Bay Inuit by members of Hall's support team, including Peter Bayne, in Hall's absence in 1868. Eventually, the second testimony was sold to the Canadian Government in the form of a report written by George Jamme after Bayne's death in 1928. Until now, only extracts of the Jamme Report have been available. This paper describes the background to the Jamme report and presents it in its entirety along with critiques so that scholars in the future may have this tool.

An early case of successful peripheral nerve repair in 1880: Francis L. Parker, MD.

The modern technique of epineural suture repair, along with a detailed reporting of functional restoration, came from Carl Hueter in 1873. While there is extensive information on peripheral nerve surgery throughout recorded history leading up to the 1800s, little early American scientific literature is available. While Schwann, Nissl, and Waller were publishing their work on nerve anatomy and physiology, Francis LeJau Parker was born. The South Carolina native would go on to describe one of the first American cases of peripheral nerve repair with the restoration of function. Francis Parker was born in 1836 in Abbeville, South Carolina. He gained local notoriety as one of the first American surgeons to suture a severed nerve, resulting in restored function. The case dates back to 1880, when a patient presented to his clinic with severing of the posterior interosseous nerve. The details of this case come from the archives of the South Carolina Medical Association. The authors reviewed these records in detail and provide a case description of nerve repair not previously reported in the modern literature. The history, neurological examination, and details of the case provide insight into the adroit surgical skills of Dr. Parker.

Catatonia and Opioid Withdrawal: A Case Report.

In this case report, we present an 82-year-old female who was diagnosed with catatonia after she exhibited immobility, mutism, withdrawal, and stereotypy during a hospitalization for altered mental status. Fentanyl was found in her urine toxicology, and it was later discovered that she had been taking non-prescription pills from Mexico that were likely the source of the fentanyl. Her catatonia quickly remitted with benzodiazepine treatment. This case underscores previously unknown risks of substance use, which has grown especially important to psychiatric care considering how rampant the opioid epidemic has become. More so, these risks extend beyond opioid use disorders since other non-prescription drugs are commonly laced with fentanyl. Not only does this education need to be given to providers and patients alike, but further research should be conducted to establish and quantify the risk of catatonia with opioid withdrawal.

The collaboration of Francis Forster and Wilder Penfield in the management of a girl with 'reflex epilepsy'.

In the era after World War II, Francis (Frank) Forster (1912-2006) became a preeminent American neurologist and epileptologist, with international prominence in the study of reflex epilepsy. Forster's interest in reflex epilepsy began with a chance observation of the condition, in 1946, in a four-year-old girl. When medical measures failed to control her somatosensory-evoked seizures, Forster recommended surgery, and then facilitated transfer to Canadian neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield (1891-1976) at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Forster traveled to Montreal for the child's surgery. The surgery on February 27, 1948, proved to be curative for the child, and Forster's interactions with Penfield and epileptologist Herbert Jasper (1906-1999) made a lasting impression. This study reviews the medical and surgical history of this case, which strongly influenced Forster's career.

Catatonia: A deep dive into its unfathomable depths.

This editorial addresses catatonia, a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome characterised by a spectrum of psychomotor disturbances. The editorial seeks to clarify the ambiguous aspects of catatonia, integrating recent research findings, including global studies and diagnostic advancements. It discusses catatonia's clinical manifestations, prevalence, and associated psychiatric and medical conditions, with particular emphasis on its frequent co-occurrence with schizophrenia and mood disorders. The prevalence of catatonia, which varies across psychiatric populations, is illustrated by a significant study conducted in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. This study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of the Bush-Francis Screening Instrument compared to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 criteria in diagnosing catatonia. The editorial evaluates treatment approaches, primarily focusing on benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy, and discusses emerging therapeutic strategies. It underscores the importance of robust diagnostic frameworks and early intervention in managing catatonia, as recommended by the latest evidence-based consensus guideline. Furthermore, it suggests future research directions, particularly in exploring the neurobiological and genetic factors of catatonia, to enhance our understanding and improve treatment outcomes. This editorial succinctly aims to demystify catatonia and provide valuable insights for clinicians and researchers in mental health care.

Burdening caregivers of patients with schizophrenia at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, The Gambia.

PURPOSE: Deinstitutionalization of persons living with mental illness has led to many patients residing in communities with family members and shifting the burden of care and caregiving from hospitals to homes. The aim of the study was to determine the burden on caregivers of patients with schizophrenia at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH). METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study design with a sample consisting of 161 randomly selected caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. The GHQ-12 questionnaire was used to determine the general health status of the caregivers. The caregivers' burden was assessed using the Zarit Burden Scale. The data were collected using the researcher-administered method. The collected data were analyzed with IBM SPSS Version 20 using descriptive statistics, mean differences, and the general linear model (GLM). RESULTS: The main findings of this study were that caregivers experienced a significantly high level of burden. Most of them experienced high levels of physical (70%), psychological (93.2%), social (78.3%) and financial (55.3%) burdens. Employment status, specifically unemployment status and belonging to the Wolof ethnic group, was a significant predictor of the level of financial burden on the caregivers. Similarly, the total score for social burden was also significantly greater among unemployed caregivers. Educational level was a significant predictor of the total score on the psychological and physical burden scale. CONCLUSION: The caregivers of patients with schizophrenia at EFSTH are experiencing a high level of burden as a result of their caregiving role, which affects their health, and this calls for urgent intervention.

Embryo Selection in the Context of In Vitro Fertilization.

From the Catholic perspective, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is morally problematic because it artificially separates the procreative and unitive aspects of the conjugal act. Embryo selection (ES) in the context of IVF is an injustice against the resulting embryos because it treats them as commodities and works against their right to life by determining their implantation potential in light of their features. The Church opposes the eugenics mentality underlying ES. Meanwhile, the IVF industry increasingly uses artificial intelligence (AI) for ES. However, doing so could worsen the injustice by deepening the disrespect of human lives under the technocratic paradigm. As such, Catholic bioethicists are encouraged to advocate for the Church's teachings with renewed vigor. In this commentary, we will examine (1) ES in the context of IVF, (2) using AI for ES, (3) the moral implications of using AI for ES, and (4) points for further consideration. Summary: Using AI for Embryo selection in the context of IVF deepens the disrespect of human lives under the technocratic paradigm.

Acceptability to donate human milk among postnatal mothers at St. Francis hospital Nsambya, Uganda: a mixed method study.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends the use of donated human milk (HM) as the second-best option for mothers who are temporarily unable to provide sufficient breast milk to meet the needs of their infants. However, HM donation is yet to become an accepted practice in Uganda. We assessed the level of, and factors associated with acceptability to donate HM among postnatal mothers at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya (SFHN). METHODS: A cross-sectional sequential explanatory mixed method study was conducted between October 2018 and March 2019. A questionnaire on sociodemography, awareness and likely acceptability to donate HM was administered to 410 postnatal mothers at SFHN. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was undertaken to determine factors associated with acceptance of HM donation. Focus Group Discussions (4) and Key Informants Interviews (4) were used to explore factors influencing behaviours to donate human milk. Qualitative data were analysed using a content thematic approach. RESULTS: Overall acceptance of donating the HM was 77.6%, and the significant factors were: willingness to express the HM (AOR 7.5; 95% CI 3.01, 18.68); wet-nursing knowledge (AOR 2.3; 95% CI 1.1, 5.0) and visit to under-5 years' clinic (AOR 21.3; 95% CI 2.3, 196.9). The major themes in relation to accepting to donate HM were wet nursing experience, and confidence in donating the HM, and its perceived effectiveness. There were concerns about the safety and adequacy of HM and fear of transmitting criminal behaviours and mental illness through human milk. CONCLUSIONS: Acceptance to donate HM among postnatal mothers at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya was very high. Willingness to express and store human milk, prior knowledge about wet nursing and a visit to an under-five outpatient clinic were associated with acceptance. Thus, establishing a human milk bank is feasible in the study setting.

The Role of Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Treatment of Catatonia Associated With Lewy Body Dementia: A Case Report.

Catatonia is a complex amalgamation of neuropsychiatric symptoms that can manifest in both psychiatric and neurological conditions. The treatment of catatonia related to psychiatric illnesses is well documented as it typically responds to benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). However, the treatment of catatonia related to neurological disorders has shown to be more difficult, particularly when associated with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Here, we present the case of a 78-year-old woman with LBD, Bipolar I, depressive type, who successfully underwent twelve ECT sessions to treat catatonia refractory to benzodiazepine therapy. The effectiveness of the treatment was measured using the Bush-Françis Catatonia Scale (BFCS) to measure her catatonic symptoms as she progressed through the therapy. This report highlights the importance of considering ECT as a leading therapeutic approach in this particular subset of patients who do not respond adequately to pharmaceutical therapy and medical titrations.

Francis Bacon and the practices of measurement.

The instrumental character of Francis Bacon's natural and experimental histories was often noted, but never fully investigated. In this paper I aim to reconstruct the theoretical and methodological background which supports this feature. I claim that we can read large parts of the second book of Bacon's Novum organum as a guide to laboratory practices; and that it was read in this manner by some of Bacon's seventeenth century followers. Key to this guide is Bacon's theory of prerogative instances which, in turn, provides the grounding for a whole theory of instruments of detection and instruments of measurement. I show, in particular, how Bacon suggested that such instruments can be used for 'charting' virtues and powers; a process in which instruments of detection can be transformed into instruments of measurement. I also show that Bacon's views on instruments entail an elaborated conception of measurement which departs from the ethos of artisanal perfection. Instead of pursuing the 'best results', Bacon's instrumental natural and experimental histories aim to offer a large enough corpus of correlations, estimates and calculations which, taken together, can represent more or less accurately changes and variations of natural virtues and powers.

Oxford mathematics at a low ebb? An 1855 dispute over examination results.

Between December 1855 and March 1856, a public dispute raged, in British national newspapers and locally published pamphlets, between two teachers at the University of Oxford: the mathematical lecturer Francis Ashpitel and Bartholomew Price, the professor of natural philosophy. The starting point for these exchanges was the particularly poor results that had come out of the final mathematics examinations in Oxford that December. Ashpitel, as one of the examiners, stood accused of setting questions that were too difficult for the ordinary student, with the consequence that, in Price's view, further mathematical study in Oxford - never as robust as in Cambridge - would be discouraged. We examine this short-lived affair, and use it not only to gain insight into the status of mathematical study in Oxford in the mid-nineteenth century, but also to point towards the increasing importance of competitive examinations in British public life at that time.

B. G. Johns and his "famous blind men" the genesis of heroic blindness in Victorian England.

In 1876, Bennett George Johns, a minister and chaplain at the school for the blind in St George's Field, published Blind People: Their Works and Ways; with Sketches of the Lives of Some Famous Blind Men. The book provided a window into the lives of the blind in Victorian England, with an emphasis on their education-or lack thereof. Johns was an observer of the blind and sympathetic to their plight. His depictions of schools were dispassionate, yet gently argued for improvement. Rather than rely on pity, he emphasized the benefits of institutionalized life and recounted the extraordinary achievements of four blind men. The creation of heroic historical figures had traditionally been employed to venerate political, military, or religious personages. Its use in shaping public perception of blindness was novel. This paper explores Johns's book as an early example of the innocent, myth-building of the blind and considers whether the process is always harmless.

Catatonia in a Patient With Bipolar Affective Disorder and Hypothyroidism: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge.

This case report presents the clinical course of a 33-year-old female with a history of bipolar affective disorder (BAD) who presented to the psychiatric emergency department with sudden-onset altered behavior, along with features indicative of catatonia. Before hospitalization, the patient had not been adherent to psychiatric medications for BAD for a period of several months, likely a contributing factor to the patient's presenting symptoms. Over a two-week period before hospitalization, the patient exhibited progressive withdrawal, psychomotor retardation, disorganized behavior, and a lack of response to external stimuli. Initial labs upon admission had findings consistent with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism. The patient had no prior history of thyroid disease and further endocrinology workup was deferred by the hospitalist to outpatient care upon discharge. While initially in the emergency department, the patient received intramuscular lorazepam for immediate symptom relief, the initial response to the Ativan challenge was not fully documented. Upon evaluation by the inpatient team the next morning, a Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale score of 22 highlighted the severity of catatonia, which may have been further exacerbated by concurrent hypothyroidism. As such, thyroid hormone replacement therapy (levothyroxine) was indicated to normalize thyroid function. Combination treatment initially with lorazepam and levothyroxine was administered for the patient's catatonia and olanzapine was chosen as the anti-psychotic. Over the subsequent days, the patient's catatonic symptoms demonstrated positive responses to treatment, prompting adjustments in pharmacotherapy. The patient eventually returned to baseline functioning, with substantial improvements in catatonia as well as mood symptoms. This case underscores the complex interplay between catatonia, bipolar affective disorder, and thyroid dysfunction. The timely identification and management of hypothyroidism in the context of catatonia showcase the potential for favorable outcomes with targeted interventions.

Nursing notes on a scandal.

10 years on from the publication of the Francis report, the nursing profession is facing unprecedented challenges; Robert Francis has recently sounded the alarm that the NHS is currently facing 'the Mid Staffordshire scandal playing out on a national level'. In this perspective, we consider the opportunities missed in the last decade in the attempt to secure safe staffing in nursing.

Case report on antipsychotic induced catatonia in an incarcerated patient.

Antipsychotic-induced catatonia is an iatrogenic and debilitating adverse reaction, but there is a dearth of recent documented cases. This report describes a 35-year-old incarcerated Korean-American male with a history of unspecified psychosis who presented for antipsychotic induced catatonia after administration of haloperidol decanoate intramuscular (200 mg across the span of 1 week). Neurologic workup was performed including MRI, lumbar puncture, and electroencephalography. Despite an approximate month long hospitalization, benzodiazepine challenge, benztropine trial, and amantadine adjunct, our patient continued to experience bradykinesia, waxy flexibility, and mask-like facies, and was minimally verbally responsive. Several challenges in the treatment of incarcerated individuals at the hospital are highlighted in this case report, including adverse reaction to medication, difficulty of care coordination, and limited access to health records among providers.

Francis S. Morrison MD-Tribute to an apheresis leader.

Francis S. Morrison MD was among the early developers and promoters of the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA). His work was pivotal in creating a lasting institutional structure from which American apheresis medical practice would develop decades after his death. Francis Morrison is honored each year at the ASFA annual meeting as ASFA awards the Francis S. Morrison MD Memorial Award Lecture to an individual who stands out as among its most accomplished members. This tribute seeks to describe the person and the key accomplishments of Francis S. Morrison in the historical context of a time when the future of apheresis medicine was uncertain.

Rebound Catatonia Associated With Injectable Paliperidone.

Paliperidone is an atypical antipsychotic medication commonly used to treat schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder. It is a metabolite of risperidone and has a similar mechanism of action, primarily blocking dopamine 2 receptors (D2 receptors) in the brain. Paliperidone has various adverse effects, including extrapyramidal symptoms, weight gain, and metabolic disturbances. Catatonia is rare but severe side effects can occur in the context of an underlying psychiatric, neurologic, or general medical condition. Paradoxically, antipsychotics for treating schizophrenia or bipolar spectrum disorders can precipitate or worsen catatonic symptoms. The report suggests that 17-19% of all cases diagnosed as catatonia due to other medical conditions are medication-induced. Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that presents as a cluster of psychomotor signs and symptoms resulting in movement and behavior aberrations. Various symptoms, including mutism, stupor, rigidity, and abnormal movements, characterize catatonia. Catatonia is a potentially life-threatening condition requiring prompt recognition and management. Here, we present a case of a patient with catatonia associated with long-acting injectable paliperidone intramuscular therapy in a patient with schizophrenia.

Catatonia: "Fluctuat nec mergitur".

In the beginning of the 1900s, the prevalence of catatonia in inpatient samples was reported to be between 19.5% and 50%. From the mid-1900s, most clinicians thought that catatonia was disappearing. Advances in medical sciences, particularly in the field of neurology, may have reduced the incidence of neurological diseases that present with catatonic features or mitigated their severity. More active pharmacological and psychosocial treatment methods may have either eliminated or moderated catatonic phenomena. Moreover, the relatively narrow descriptive features in modern classifications compared with classical texts and ascribing catatonic signs and symptoms to antipsychotic-induced motor symptoms may have contributed to an apparent decline in the incidence of catatonia. The application of catatonia rating scales introduced in the 1990s revealed significantly more symptoms than routine clinical interviews, and within a few years, the notion of the disappearance of catatonia gave way to its un-expected resurgence. Several systematic investigations have found that, on average, 10% of acute psychotic patients present with catatonic features. In this editorial, the changes in the incidence of catatonia and the possible underlying causes are reviewed.

Committing Fallacies and the Appearance Condition.

This appearance condition of fallacies refers to the phenomenon of weak arguments, or moves in argumentation, appearing to be okay when really they aren't. Not all theorists agree that the appearance condition should be part of the conception of fallacies but this essay explores some of the consequences of including it. In particular, the differences between committing a fallacy, causing a fallacy and observing a fallacy are identified. The remainder of the paper is given over to discussing possible causes of mistakenly perceiving weak argumentation moves as okay. Among these are argument caused misperception, perspective caused misperception, discursive environment caused misperception and perceiver caused misperception. The discussion aims to be sufficiently general so that it can accommodate different models and standards of argumentation that make a place for fallacies.