Adam Christian Thebesius' Channels into the Human Heart: the Thebesian Veins and the Thebesian Valve.

In 1708, Adam Christian Thebesius, a 22-year-old student at Leiden University, presented his graduate thesis, Disputatio medica inauguralis de circulo sanguinis in corde. More than a doctoral dissertation, this groundbreaking work opened new channels into the study of the human coronary venous system. Thebesius' theory about the vascular communication between the coronary arteries and the chambers of the heart helped to advance understanding of hemodynamic principles and to clarify the physiologic pathways of the coronary circulation. The following article-the third in a trilogy about Lower Silesian scientists-provides an overview of the life story and achievements of this Silesian physician and innovator, whose name was immortalized in 2 cardiac eponyms: the Thebesian veins and the Thebesian valve.

Jan Evangelista Purkinje: A Passion for Discovery.

December 2017 was the 230th anniversary of Jan Evangelista Purkinje's birth, which prompted us to review the life of this remarkable man who established the world's first department of physiology in Wroclaw and whose name is immortalized in the cardiologic eponym, Purkinje fibers. This paper offers an overview of Purkinje's life, legacy, and numerous scientific discoveries.

The Two Anomalies of Wilhelm Ebstein.

The year 2016 was the 180th anniversary of Wilhelm Ebstein's birth and the 150th anniversary of his description of the congenital tricuspid valve malformation that came to be known as Ebstein anomaly. We present a brief history of the life and work of Dr. Wilhelm Ebstein. Despite his distinguished career, he is seemingly forgotten in his own birthplace. We include a review of the relevant historical medical literature.

Alexander I. Ignatowski: a pioneer in the study of atherosclerosis.

In 1908, Alexander I. Ignatowski (1875-1955) published his pioneering work that first revealed a relationship between cholesterol-rich food and experimental atherosclerosis. This early experimental work paved a way to the metabolic study of the mechanism of atherosclerosis. Herein, we present a brief account of Ignatowski's work and life.

A história do estetoscópio e da ausculta cardíaca / The history of the stethoscope and cardiac auscultation

Este trabalho apresenta os principais fatos e acontecimentos relacionados ao desenvolvimento do estetoscópio e à história da ausculta cardíaca. Destaca o papel e contribuição de diversas personalidades do campo científico, apresenta o estetoscópio em seus variados modelos históricos e sumariza as descobertas realizadas pelo método antes e depois da invenção desse instrumento. Aborda, ainda, a ausculta e o estetoscópio no contexto do exame físico e da construção da relação médico-paciente.

This paper reports the major facts and events related to the stethoscope development and the history of cardiac auscultation. It describes the role and contribution of several scientists, presents the several historical models of stethoscopes, and summarizes the discoveries relying on the auscultation method both before and after the invention of the stethoscope. It also approaches auscultation and stethoscope within the context of physical examination and physician-patient relationship

Taussig-Bing anomaly: from original description to the current era.

Taussig-Bing anomaly is a rare congenital heart malformation that was first described in 1949 by Helen B. Taussig (1898-1986) and Richard J. Bing (1909-). Although substantial improvement has since been achieved in surgical results of the repair of the anomaly, management of the Taussig-Bing anomaly remains challenging. A history of the original description of the anomaly, the life stories of the individuals who first described it, and the current outcomes of its surgical management are reviewed herein.

Einthoven's string galvanometer: the first electrocardiograph.

Willem Einthoven (1860--1927), known as the creator of the electrocardiograph, won a Nobel Prize in 1924 for his contributions to the field of electrocardiography. He was dedicated to research and learning. In developing the electrocardiograph, Einthoven built on the work of earlier physiologists who had studied the electrical mechanisms of the heart. Each earlier invention proved important by contributing concepts and knowledge that would shape Einthoven's device. Herein, we review the history of the electrocardiograph, with a focus on Willem Einthoven's quest to make the device a practical clinical instrument in the diagnosis of cardiac abnormalities.

Concepts in cardiology - a historical perspective.

Our current knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system has been reached by deduction and reasoning over several centuries. In this article, we briefly outline the history of these theories.