The medical ethics of Dr J Marion Sims: a fresh look at the historical record

Vesicovaginal fistula was a catastrophic complication of childbirth among 19th century American women. The first consistently successful operation for this condition was developed by Dr J Marion Sims, an Alabama surgeon who carried out a series of experimental operations on black slave women between 1845 and 1849. Numerous modern authors have attacked Sims's medical ethics, arguing that he manipulated the institution of slavery to perform ethically unacceptable human experiments on powerless, unconsenting women. This article reviews these allegations using primary historical source material and concludes that the charges that have been made against Sims are largely without merit. Sims's modern critics have discounted the enormous suffering experienced by fistula victims, have ignored the controversies that surrounded the introduction of anaesthesia into surgical practice in the middle of the 19th century, and have consistently misrepresented the historical record in their attacks on Sims. Although enslaved African American women certainly represented a "vulnerable population" in the 19th century American South, the evidence suggests that Sims's original patients were willing participants in his surgical attempts to cure their affliction-a condition for which no other viable therapy existed at that time.     

Dr.Ralph Coan: a hero in establishing acupuncture as a profession in the United States

1 IntroductionDr.Ralph Coan is not well known to the general public.Originally,we had wanted to interview him as he was the medical director of the first acupuncture center in the United States that opened in the early 1970s[1].We wanted to know more about that center's history.Prior to visiting Dr.Coan,we found an article written by Dr.Sherman Cohn that mentioned Dr.Coan.The article noted that Dr.Coan was the founder of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine,which is the national association of acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners in the United States[2].While interviewing Dr.Coan on February 18,2012,it became apparent that he truly is a leading light in establishing acupuncture as a profession in the United States.     

基于“少阳为枢”图解小阴旦汤、小阳旦汤

小阴旦汤证是外感阳邪致"精化为气"太过,则少阳生气太过,少阳为枢功能偏向于助东方升气,使六经升的力量表现太过,总体上表现"天气下降"不及,则取芍药"酸收"以抑太阳之开(少阳升气),取黄芩"苦降"以助阳明之合(少阳天气),更取姜草枣正补脾胃"地气",用药之性味补入下降的力量,矫正少阳为枢偏于升太过的病证;而小阳旦汤证是外感阴邪致"精化为气"受阻(不及),则少阳生气不及,少阳为枢功能难以使地气上升,使六经升的力量表现不及,总体上表现"地气上升"不及,则取桂枝"辛开"以助太阳之开(少阳升气),取赤芍"酸收"以助降南方火气和西方天气,再取姜草枣正补脾胃"地气",用药之性味补入上升的力量,矫正少阳为枢偏于升不及的病证。至于赤白芍之活用,则根据二者对阴的力量赤泄白补,小阴旦汤用白芍助阴以增加降的力量,小阳旦汤改用赤芍药则恰为防止白芍助阴而更加阻碍"地气上升",且能泻南方火气太过。     

践行"三个代表"重要思想努力提高科技干部人文素质

在新形势下，如何践行“三个代表”重要思想，加强科技干部队伍建设，必须要树立正确的“三观”；良好的职业道德；求实的精神；处理好个人有本事与组织培养的关系。     

胎儿作为器官移植供体的法律问题研究

我国在临床上已开展多例胎儿作为供体的移植，但缺少相关的立法加以规制．这不利于我国器官移植事业的整体发展。本文论述了胎儿作为移植供体的每件，移植中存在的各种冲突，并引证美国在胎儿移植立法方面的经验，结合我国国情提出相关立法的必要性及原则，希望借此研究为我国在胎儿移植立法方面提供相关参考。     

医学院校大学英语翻译选修课程建设初探

医学院校开设大学英语翻译选修课程既有其必要性,也有其迫切性.课程建设中,需 要解决课时有限、内容庞杂、学生语言基础薄弱、医学翻译融入等难题.本文介绍了北京大学医学部在大学英语翻译选修课程建设中,以帮助学生建构起白己的翻译观念为核心,以侧重医学翻译为特色,尝试构建“观念建构+医学特色”教学模式的具体情况.     

儒、道、佛对喻昌医学品格及思想的影响

喻昌,明末清初著名医家。少时曾遇一异人,授以秘方,兼善黄白术（道教炼丹术）,接触道教的轨迹可见一斑,一生经历了＂自儒而禅,自禅而医＂的曲折历程。其医学品格和思想饱受儒、道、佛的浸染,医学思想尤见与佛理相参,别具一格。本文仅就儒、道、佛对喻昌医学品格和思想的影响作一探讨。     

标准化病人问诊培训对儿科实习医生病历书写质量的影响分析

目的 探讨标准化病人(standardized patient,SP)问诊培训对儿科实习医生病历书写质量的影响.方法 将160名五年制临床医学专业实习医生分为实验组和对照组,教师采集典型病案,对实验组实习医生进行6次教师模拟SP的问诊培训,即采取教师模拟患儿家长、实习医生向教师询问病史的方法进行问诊培训.培训后教师进行总结,指出实习医生在问诊方面的优点和缺点.对照组实习医生不进行SP问诊培训.最后对两组实习医生书写的病历进行统一评分及比较.结果 实验组实习医生病历书写总成绩高于对照组;实验组实习医生书写的病历在格式、现病史、既往史、个人史、家族史、诊断和鉴别诊断等方面的单项评分也高于对照组.结论 SP问诊培训能够提高儿科实习医生问诊的完整性,使实习医生的思路明确,培养了实习医生与患儿家长沟通交流的能力,进而提高了实习医生儿科病历书写的质量.     

从宋人对医者的记述看医学知识传承模式的转变

南北朝至北宋初,“师徒”和“世医”一直是医学知识传承的主要模式。宋代,随着医学文本的迅速增多,“文本阅读”在医学知识传承中所发挥的作用日益突显。从宋人对医者的记述可以清晰地看出这种转变。如：在张峋撰郝允《墓志铭》中,郝允的医学知识主要源于“师徒授受”,而叶梦得的记述,则在淡化“师徒”的同时,强化了“文本阅读”的作用。“世医”出身的庞安时,却部分摒弃了家传的医学知识,转而通过“文本阅读”来获取医学知识。据张耒撰庞安时《墓志铭》和《宋史·方伎传》,庞安时是通过“文本阅读”成为“名医”的典范,但《墓志铭》在于突出庞安时的高明,而《宋史·方伎传》则注重突显“文本阅读”的重要,进而否定“世医”。宋人记述陈昭遇的神奇医术主要源于“实践”,直接否定了“文本阅读”,或进而借陈昭遇之口,对“文本阅读”进行了反思和批评。宋人对医者的不同记述,反映了医学知识传承模式的变化。