A brief history of sciatica

STUDY DESIGN: Historical review. OBJECTIVES: Appraise history of concept of sciatica. SETTING: Europe. METHODS: Selected, original quotations and a historical review. RESULTS: Evolution of ideas from hip disorders, through interstitial neuritis. CONCLUSION: Current concepts of discogenic sciatica.     

A brief history of testosterone

PURPOSE: We explore the history of testosterone in the context of medical and scientific developments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A review of the scientific and historical literature was conducted. RESULTS: The origins and effects of testosterone have been recognized throughout the history of humankind. Hunter performed testicular transplantation experiments in 1767 while studying tissue transplantation techniques, and almost a century later Berthold linked the physiological and behavioral changes of castration to a substance secreted by the testes. Brown-Séquard gave birth to the field of organotherapy in 1889 when he announced that his auto-injection of testicular extracts resulted in rejuvenated physical and mental abilities. Steinach and Niehans expanded upon Brown-Séquard's work with rejuvenation treatments involving vasoligation, tissue grafts and cellular injections. In 1935 David et al isolated the critical ingredient in organotherapeutic treatments, testosterone. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of the powerful hormone testosterone continue to inspire research and controversy 65 years later.     

A brief history of malaria

For millions of years, invertebrates and malaria parasites have coexisted and to date, malaria remains the most important human parasitic disease. This co-evolution had profound impacts on the movements of early hominids and on the genome of modern humans. Over the past two centuries, progress has been made with the discovery of the parasite, its transmission, and medicines, paving the way to the control of the disease and its elimination in some countries. However, the Plasmodium parasite is a formidable foe capable of developing resistance to drugs, and the mosquito vector has adapted to insecticides, foiling all attempts to eradicate the disease. Over recent years the economic and social costs of malaria have been recognized and more funds have been mobilized than ever before, however further efforts are needed. National programs, international institutions and researchers will need to do better if the preventable deaths of hundreds of thousands of mostly African children are to be averted.     

Evidence-based orthopaedics: A brief history

Evidence-based medicine was recently noted as one of the top 15 most important medical discoveries over the past 160 years. Since the term was coined in 1990, EBM has seen unparalleled adoption in medicine and surgery. We discuss the early origins of EBM and its dissemination in medicine, especially orthopaedic surgery.     

A brief history of chronic subdural hematomas

Examination of human remains tells us that subdural hematomas have been with mankind for thousands of years. Their recognition as distinct clinical entities is considerably more recent, and it has only been in the last century that the cause of chronic subdural hematomas has been adequately elucidated. The history of this discovery process is interesting and sheds light on the nature of scientific progress in general.     

A brief history of historical scholarship in chiropractic

This paper provides a cursory overview of attempts to discover, preserve and disseminate the history of the chiropractic profession, up to and including the organization of the Association for the History of Chiropractic (AHC). A surprisingly wide range of materials have been available for many decades, but sustained efforts at historical scholarship are more recent (past quarter century). The quality of these works has been uneven, but has improved with the emergence of chiropractic scholarly periodicals and interest from non-chiropractor investigators. Affiliates of the American-based AHC are located in Australia and Canada; organized historical scholarship in other regions of the world has yet to develop. Several substantial archival resources for historical investigations are available, and merit greater scrutiny and support within the profession.     

A brief history of lower genital tract screening

The history of lower genital tract screening covers discoveries that occurred in the middle of the last century and involves methodologies (cytologic and non-cytologic techniques) that, for decades, were independently used by different global regions. At present, cytologic testing has become an initial screening test, and non-cytologic testing (colposcopy and iodine application) has evolved into the secondary diagnostic test for selected individuals. In the future, tests that are less subjective and more specific may enhance or eventually replace these methodologies, whereas prevention may become as important as screening.