The American Neurological Association's Book "Eugenical Sterilization: A Reorientation of the Problem" Through the Lens of Contemporaneous Book Reviews.

BACKGROUND: In 1936, the American Neurological Association (ANA) published the book "Eugenical Sterilization: A Reorientation of the Problem" in response to what the first author of the book described as a positive reception to a paper presented at the ANA's 1935 annual meeting. The conclusions of the presentation were approved by the organization during the same meeting. As evidenced by the publication of several book reviews in a variety of medical journals, the book garnered some attention. METHODS: Reviews of the ANA's book were sought using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embasa. Also, the book's title was used to search the World Wide Web. RESULTS: The search yielded four reviews, all published in 1937. The reviews make evident a positive opinion of the ANA's book's authors' recommendations including the option for "selective sterilization" of patients with conditions such as Huntington disease, Friedreich ataxia, and epilepsy. In addition, reviewers highlighted the book's authors' assessment that "the feebleminded [breed] docile, servile, useful people who do the dirty work of the race, [as] servants fulfilling a social function." CONCLUSIONS: Although the book's authors did not advocate for all-out eugenical sterilization, they did little to counter the popular opinion that patients with certain neurological diseases were a drain on society. In addition, they espoused a positive vision of the feebleminded's role as servants who can do undesirable work. This message was disseminated through book reviews.

Tissue banking, biovigilance and the notify library.

This issue is dedicated to the contributions of Professor Glyn O. Phillips to the field of tissue banking and the advancement of science in general. The use of ionizing radiation to sterilize medical products drew the interest of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). A meeting in 1976 in Athens Greece to present work on the effects of sterilizing radiation doses upon the antigenic properties of proteins and biologic tissues was my first introduction of Professor Phillips and the role that he was to play in Tissue Banking (Friedlaender, in Phillips GO, Tallentine AN (eds) Radiation sterilization. Irradiated tissues and their potential clinical use. The North E. Wales Institute, Clwyd, p 128, 1978). The IAEA sponsored subsequent meetings in the Republic of Korea, Czechoslovakia and Rangoon, the later including a visit to the tissue bank by Professor Phillips. His advocacy resulted in multiple workshops and teaching opportunities in a variety of countries, one of which led to the establishment of the Asia Pacific Surgical Tissue Banking Association in 1989 (Phillips and Strong, in Phillips GO, Strong DM, von Versen R, Nather A (eds) Advances in tissue banking, vol 3. World Scientific, Singapore, pp 403-417, 1999).

Innovation in medicine: Ignaz the reviled and Egas the regaled.

In our current climate of rapid technological progress, it seems counterintuitive to think that modern science can learn anything of ethical value from the dark recesses of the nineteenth century or earlier. However, this happens to be quite true, with plenty of knowledge and wisdom to be gleaned by studying our scientific predecessors. Presently, our journals are flooded with original concepts and potential breakthroughs, a continuous stream of ideas pushing the frontiers of knowledge ever forward. Some ideas flourish while others flounder; but what sets the two apart? The distinguishing feature between success and failure within this context is the ability to discern the appropriate time to accept an innovation with open arms, versus when to take a more cautious approach. And the primary arbiters for whether an idea will catch on or not are the professional audience. I illustrate this concept by comparing the initial reception of two innovative ideas from Medicine's past: sterile technique, and prefrontal lobotomy. Sterile technique was first introduced by Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis and was initially ridiculed and rejected, with Semmelweis eventually dying in exile. Conversely, lobotomy was accepted and lauded and its inventor, Dr. Egas Moniz, won the Nobel Prize for his "discovery". This begs the question: why was a technique with the potential to save millions of lives initially rejected, whereas paradoxically, one that compromised and sometimes destroyed lives, accepted? Here I explore and analyze the potential reasons why, suggest how we can learn from these mistakes of the past and apply new insight to some current ethical dilemmas.

From Tomato King to World Food Prize laureate.

This autobiographical article describes my early years, education, and career at Purdue University. Helping form and expand the Department of Food Science at Purdue was exciting and gratifying, and working with students in the classroom and on research projects was rewarding and kept me feeling young. My research on bulk aseptic processing allowed me to help solve problems relevant to the tomato industry, but I learned later that it had much broader relevance. I certainly never expected the impact and visibility of the work to result in my being awarded the World Food Prize. Being the first food scientist to win this award has enabled me to focus increased attention on the need to reduce food losses.

History of sterile compounding in U.S. hospitals: learning from the tragic lessons of the past.

PURPOSE: The evolution of sterile compounding in the context of hospital patient care, the evolution of related technology, past incidents of morbidity and mortality associated with preparations compounded in various settings, and efforts over the years to improve compounding practices are reviewed. SUMMARY: Tightened United States Pharmacopeial Convention standards (since 2004) for sterile compounding made it difficult for hospitals to achieve all of the sterile compounding necessary for patient care. Shortages of manufactured injections added to the need for compounding. Non-hospital-based compounding pharmacies increased sterile compounding to meet the needs. Gaps in federal and state laws and regulations about compounding pharmacies led to deficiencies in their regulation. Lapses in sterility led to injuries and deaths. Perspectives offered include potential actions, including changes in practitioner education, better surveillance of sterile compounding, regulatory reforms, reexamination of the causes of drug shortages, and the development of new technologies. CONCLUSION: Over the years, there have been numerous exhortations for voluntary better performance in sterile compounding. In addition, professional leadership has been vigorous and extensive in the form of guidance, publications, education, enforceable standards, and development of various associations and organizations dealing with safe compounding practices. Yet problems continue to occur. We must engage in diligent learning from the injuries and tragedies that have occurred. Assuming that we are already doing all we can to avoid problems would be an abdication of the professional mission of pharmacists. It would be wrong thinking to assume that the recent problems in large-scale compounding pharmacies are the only problems that warrant attention. It is time for a systematic assessment of the nature and the dimensions of the problems in every type of setting where sterile compounding occurs. It also is time for some innovative thinking about ensuring safety in sterile compounding.

De la antisepsia a la asepsia / No disponible

Revisamos la antisepsia obstétrica, desarrollada a mediados del siglo XIX por O.W. Holmes y especialmente por I. Semmelweis, con una aportación fundamental en el control de infecciones, el lavado de manos previo a la atención al parto, lo que supuso un avance definitivo en la lucha contra la infección puerperal. Aproximadamente dos décadas más tarde, J. Lister introduce la antisepsia quirúrgica, que supuso asimismo un gran avance en el desarrollo de la cirugía, al reducir sustancialmente las infecciones y permitir intervenciones que hasta entonces no era posible realizar. En las postrimerías del siglo XIX, el método de Lister se fue modificando y la introducción de la esterilización dio paso a la asepsia que, junto con otros avances, como la introducción de guantes, primero de algodón y posteriormente de goma, así como gorro y mascarilla, permitieron modificar sustancialmente la práctica quirúrgica

In this paper we do a revision of obstetric antisepsis developed in the XIX century by O.W. Holmes and especially by I. Semmelweis. He did a fundamental contribution in controlling infections by introducing the washing of hands before the act of child bearing. This meant a definite advance in the fight against puerperal infection. J. Lister introduced the surgical antisepsis about two decades later. This also meant a significant advance in the development of surgery by reducing infections substantially and allowing surgical interventions hard to perform until then. By the end of the 19th century, Lister's method was modified and sterilization introduced. This gave way to antisepsis. The introduction of gloves- which were made out of cotton at first and of rubber later on - as well as surgical caps and masks, allowed substantial modifications to the surgical practice

Medicina y nazismo. Aprender de la Historia / Nazism and Medicine. Learning from History

En el momento actual siguen vigentes en la asistencia diaria de los pacientes los mismos aspectos éticos presentes durante ese período (límites de la investigación, decisiones al final de la vida, relación del médico con el estado e investigación genética). Conocer el pasado y el papel desempeñado por los médicos nazis refuerza el necesario énfasis en la bioética y en el profesionalismo dentro de la formación de los profesionales sanitarios. Entre 1933 y 1945, en la Alemania nazi médicos y otros profesionales participaron en la esterilización de pacientes portadores de enfermedades genéticas y mentales, en el asesinato de enfermos mentales y de niños con malformaciones, en experimentos científicos y seudocientíficos que no contaban con la voluntad de los participantes, y en el exterminio de otras personas en función de su condición religiosa, política, cultural o de identidad (opositores, judíos, gitanos y homosexuales, entre otros)(AU)

Between 1933-1945 in Nazi Germany, physicians and other professional care providers participated in forced sterilization of patients who were carriers of genetic origin diseases and psychiatric disorders, extermination of children and adults with congenital and mental diseases, “scientific and pseudoscientific” medical experiments without consent and mass extermination of people based on their religion, political, cultural or sexual identity (Jews, gypsies, homosexuals). At present, the same ethical issues present during Nazi Period (research limits, end-life decisions, role of the physician as state or health system servant, and genetic research) continue to be present in routine medical care. Having knowledge of the past and the role played by Nazi doctors reinforces the necessary emphasis on bioethics and professionalism within the training of professional health providers(AU)

Today's sterilizer is not your father's water heater.

Today's sterilizers are sophisticated, automatic, and computerized devices that accurately execute programmed jobs, creating uniform conditions inside pressure vessels to achieve sterilization. Specialized knowledge is necessary to ensure that the right cycle is selected; this requires an educated and competent operator.Perioperative nurses need to understand regulatory requirements for sterilizers, sterilizer design and performance validation, sterilizer cycle functions for everyday use, and everyday sterilization procedures.

On the 100th anniversary of sterile catgut kuhn: Franz Kuhn (1866-1929) and the epistemology of catgut sterilization.

The long road to effective catgut sterilization began with the work of Lord Joseph Lister (1867) and did not end until 40 years later. At the end of the nineteenth century dozens of different techniques were used to "sterilize" catgut, by immersing the cord in a cold chemical solution, by exposing it to steam, or by a combination of the two techniques, yet none of these approaches offered the ultimate solution. One of the many physicians working on the catgut problem at that time was the German surgeon Franz Kuhn (1866-1929), best known as a pioneer of intubation anesthesia. This review offers a brief biographical sketch of Kuhn's life and career on the occasion of the centenary of Sterile Catgut Kuhn. The goal of the present study is to describe several landmarks in the development of the catgut sterilization method. To explain this process, two approaches are taken: first, an analysis to see whether the character traits of the typical surgeon at that time provided the soil in which innovation could thrive, and second, an epistemological examination of the conceptual models for the attainment of knowledge current at that time. Perspectives for the future are explored in light of the "imperative of responsibility" of Hans Jonas.

"The tubercular cow must go": business, politics, and Winnipeg's milk supply, 1894-1922.

This paper analyzes the Winnipeg health department's campaign to eliminate tuberculosis in dairy herds supplying milk to the city. It examines the complexity of creating dairy policies at a time when there was no consensus about the role that Mycobacterium bovis played in the etiology of tuberculosis in humans, and when dairy producers and consumers often resisted regulations that increased their costs. The article argues that the scientific debates about the regulation of the city's milk supply enabled physicians and veterinarians to enlarge their professional practices; that the benefits and costs of the dairy policies were not equally distributed; and that Winnipeg's milk supply remained vulnerable to both deliberate and accidental contamination throughout this period.

La antorcha de cupido: eugenesia, biotipologia y eugamia en Argentina, 1930-1970

El objetivo de este trabajo es demostrar, valiéndonos del análisis de la regulación normativa de la institución matrimonial, la fuerte carga de coercitividad que caracterizó a la Eugenesia Argentina y a su reformulación "derechizada", hacia los años 30, mediante la adscripción de intelectuales fuertemente influyentes en la política local a la Biotipología, "ciencia" sistematizada por el médico fascista italiano Nicola Pende y adoptada también en la España franquista por el psiquiatra militar Antonio Vallejo Nágera. Coercitividad que siendo legalmente instrumentada para legitimar políticas de clasificación, jerarquización y exclusión es historiográficamente relativizada, al atribuirse a la influencia católica una función moderadora de las formulaciones eugénicas autoritarias, normalmente identificadas bajo el rótulo de "anglosajonas". Veremos, por el contrario, que la "Eugenesia latina" no representó una modalidad suavizada de las políticas de "mejora de la raza" orquestadas desde comienzos del siglo XX en Estados Unidos y luego en la Alemania nazi, sino que constituyó el fundamento teórico de un análogo delirio pseudocientífico encabezado por Mussolini y rápidamente institucionalizado en un país de Sudamérica (AU)