The short, tragic life of Robert M. Glover

Robert Mortimer Glover (1815-1859) was a contemporary of John Snow and James Young Simpson. Although he did not reach the standing of those two giants, his researches, writings and lectures were important contributions to the early development of British anaesthesia. Glover was the first to explore the physiological action of chloroform in the laboratory and to discover its anaesthetic effect in 1842. He helped Sir John Fife in Hannah Greener's autopsy in January 1848 and influenced Fife's conclusions on the cause of the young girl's death. His numerous and extensive articles reviewing the history, chemistry, pharmacology and clinical applications of various anaesthetics were widely read and quoted by his colleagues, including John Snow. While in Edinburgh and Newcastle, Glover was recognised as a remarkably astute physician, original researcher, prolific writer and enthusiastic lecturer with an enormous knowledge of medicine, the physical sciences, mathematics and philosophy. His brilliant career deteriorated after his arrival in London and, especially, after his return from the Crimea, although he continued to publish until the week before his death. The causes of his decline remain obscure. The last year of his life was ruined by his addiction to chloroform, to whose development he had contributed so much, and which killed him at the early age of 43.     

Sonographic diagnosis of cholangitis in AIDS patients

Eleven acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients were initially evaluated by ultrasound of the liver because of biochemical evidence of cholestasis. Sonography was very useful for demonstrating dilatation and/or wall thickening of the common bile duct associated with dilated intrahepatic bile ducts. Periportal hypo- or hyperchoic areas were also visualized. In seven patients, gallbladder walls were thickened. In six patients, the diagnosis of cholangitis was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography and/or histology. Cytomegalovirus infection or digestive tract cryptosporidiosis were often present and accounted for diarrhea in most patients.We believe the association of upper right quadrant pain and anicteric cholestasis in the course of AIDS is suggestive of cholangitis, but a disparity may exist between mild symptoms and sonographically demonstrated extensive biliary involvement.     

Cerebrospinal fluid immunoelectrophoresis in multiple sclerosis

In 95 patients with definite multiple sclerosis (MS) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytomorphology, protein electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis using antisera to human serum, Fab fragments of immunoglobulin G(IgG) and to kappa and lambda light chains and the CSF IgG concentration were examined. In the CSF diagnosis of MS, the set of the examinations used is considered to be superior to any individual laboratory technique currently applied in the diagnostic process of MS. In the set of the CSF examinations, CSF immunoelectrophoresis revealed abnormal findings in patients with MS in whom presence of bands (oligoclonal gammopathy) in the gamma-globulin field of the CSF electropherogram and/or increased concentration of CSF IgG were not demonstrated.