Journal of Medical Biography最新文献

'A Defence of Physick': Thomas Reeve's proposed 'fair experiment' on the benefits of tar-water treatment (1744). “为物理学家辩护”：托马斯·里夫提出的关于焦油水处理好处的“公平实验”（1744年）。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-11-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-27 DOI: 10.1177/09677720251383856

Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper

{"title":"'A Defence of Physick': Thomas Reeve's proposed 'fair experiment' on the benefits of tar-water treatment (1744).","authors":"Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper","doi":"10.1177/09677720251383856","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09677720251383856","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionIn 1744, the English physician Thomas Reeve ('T.R.', b.1700-1780) published two proposals for controlled trials of tar water treatment, a 'universal' medication promoted by Bishop George Berkeley (1685-1753).MethodsQualitative analysis of historical medical texts.ResultsIn his 'defence of physick', Reeve questions Berkeley's clinical evidence and calls for a 'fair experiment' with a 'competent number' of patients (i.e. 20), half of whom should receive tar water. Participants should be 'of the same Age, Sex, Constitution and Country, of the same way of living, and of the same Temperament'. Treatment must be 'at the same Time and Place', circumstances employed in Lind's 1747 scurvy trial. Reeve also proposes a simple two-patient trial to compare smallpox treatment with and without tar water.DiscussionIt is tempting to see Reeve's proposals as an influence upon James Lind's 1747 scurvy trial. Evidence that could support this lies in Lind's consideration of both tar water and Berkeley's book within his 1753 treatise on scurvy. Likewise, Reeve's call to keep a 'faithful register' of clinical outcomes offers a possible link with Hauksbee the Younger's 1743 proposal for an 'experimentum crucis' of treatments for venereal disease. The contribution of Thomas Reeve to the development of controlled trials (including the 'morality' of withholding effective treatment) deserves greater recognition.","PeriodicalId":16217,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Biography","volume":" ","pages":"327-335"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2026-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13672934/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145377488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

'The Choice of Places to dwell in': Lord Bacon's controlled experiments on 'putrefaction' and 'the Disposition of the Aire' (pre-1626). “居住地的选择”：培根勋爵对“腐烂”和“空气的处置”的对照实验（1626年前）。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-11-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-07 DOI: 10.1177/09677720251382305

Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper

{"title":"'The Choice of Places to dwell in': Lord Bacon's controlled experiments on 'putrefaction' and 'the Disposition of the Aire' (pre-1626).","authors":"Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper","doi":"10.1177/09677720251382305","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09677720251382305","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionLord Francis Bacon's (1561-1626) was fascinated by the phenomenon of 'putrefaction', which he saw in 'moulds' on food, 'mosse…of the Earth, and Trees' and the process of disease in living creatures. By observing the development of mould, Bacon deduced that certain 'aires' and 'seats' (places) were more healthy than others.AimTo interpret Bacon's ideas about putrefaction.MethodQualitative examination of Bacon's texts, especially 'Sylva Sylvarum'.ResultsBacon proposes comparing the speed of putrefaction between pieces of 'raw flesh' of the 'same Kinde and Bignesse' in different settings: 'within Doores' and 'abroad [outside]' as well as 'some height above the Earth' and 'upon the Flat [i.e. surface] of the Earth'. Thus, Bacon sought to identify more healthy 'seats of dwelling' …'for [residential] Lodges, and Retiring Places for Health'.ConclusionBacon's experiments represent early landmarks in two fields of medical research: evidence-based public health measures to improve housing and (by calculating 'post-mortem interval') forensic pathology. These contributions appear to have been overlooked, despite informing Sir John Pringle's 1752 treatise on military medicine. Bacon called for 'new learning' and his forensic approach highlights a need to engender the 'medical detective' in modern students of medicine.","PeriodicalId":16217,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Biography","volume":" ","pages":"352-361"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2026-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13672925/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

William Woodville's experiment on smallpox inoculation using case selection by alternation (c1795). 威廉·伍德维尔用交替病例选择法接种天花的实验（1795年）。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-11-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-26 DOI: 10.1177/09677720251415482

Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper

引用次数: 0

'For a wager a hundred yards': Sir John Floyer's controlled trial of the effect of cold water upon athleticism (1702). “赌一百码”：约翰·弗洛耶爵士对冷水对运动能力影响的对照试验（1702年）。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-11-01 Epub Date: 2025-08-26 DOI: 10.1177/09677720251368681

Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper

{"title":"'For a wager a hundred yards': Sir John Floyer's controlled trial of the effect of cold water upon athleticism (1702).","authors":"Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper","doi":"10.1177/09677720251368681","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09677720251368681","url":null,"abstract":"Sir John Floyer (1649-1734) was an English physician and author, notable for developing the pulse watch, advancing understanding of asthma pathophysiology, the first pathological description of emphysema and as an advocate of coldwater bathing. In 1702, he published a book with Edward Baynard MD (c1641-1717) on coldwater bathing. Therein, a postscript to a letter by Baynard describes a controlled trial of water therapy using two boys of 'near of a Speed and Strength' to race 100 yards. After immersing the loser in cold water, the race should be re-run. Now the immersed loser emerges as victor. Textual evidence suggests that its author was Floyer rather than Baynard. That the experiment took place is implied by Floyer's certainty in its outcome. It may have served as an 'exhibition' to promote his coldwater treatment. Floyer does not appear to repeat his controlled trial in his other books. He does, however, record basic observational comparisons of the effects of age, sex, diet, and month upon pulse rate. He also places data in basic tables and recognises normal variability ('latitude') in pulse rate. By linking ranges of pulse rate to clinical outcome, Floyer's work envisions modern clinical decision-making tools.","PeriodicalId":16217,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Biography","volume":" ","pages":"342-351"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2026-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13672928/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144957351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Horses, hounds and hydrophobia: Henry Bracken's 'strict enquiry' to compare two treatments for rabies in dogs (1737). 马，猎犬和恐水症：亨利·布雷肯的“严格调查”，比较两种治疗狂犬病的方法（1737年）。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-11-01 Epub Date: 2026-03-31 DOI: 10.1177/09677720261433667

Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper

{"title":"Horses, hounds and hydrophobia: Henry Bracken's 'strict enquiry' to compare two treatments for rabies in dogs (1737).","authors":"Max Cooper, Sarah Cooper","doi":"10.1177/09677720261433667","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09677720261433667","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionHenry Bracken M.D. (1697-1764) was born in the Horse and Farrier inn, Lancaster, England. He completed his apprenticeship in Wigan and studied at St Thomas' Hospital (London), the Hôtel Dieu (Paris) and Leiden (Holland). Bracken published books on farriery, urological stones and midwifery.AimsTo examine Bracken's 1737 controlled trial of two treatments for rabies in houndsMethodHistorical literature reviewResultsBracken's 'strict enquiry' compared treatments in two groups of 'an equal number' of hounds 'equally affected as far as could be judged' [i.e. at risk of developing rabies]. One received a herbal 'decoction' and the other a 'secret' powder sold by Mr Hill of Ormskirk. Bracken offers quantitative outcomes: 'Five out of Nine of Mr. Hill's died, and those under the [herbal treatment] all recover'd'.ConclusionWe speculate that Mr Hill's powder contained mercury, causing salivation which was mistaken for clinical signs of rabies. Finally, we also examine Bracken's notion of vocation that 'a Man is born a Physician as well as a Poet'. We conclude that it is harder in modern societies for young people to recognise an early inkling towards a career in medicine. Unlike Bracken's 'inborn' calling, vocation today is more likely to be perceived in terms of a 'transaction', e.g. a 'career move' or 'lifestyle choice'.","PeriodicalId":16217,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Biography","volume":" ","pages":"368-379"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2026-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13672901/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147581607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The medical education of James McCune Smith (1813-1865). 詹姆斯·麦克恩·史密斯的医学教育（1813-1865）。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-11-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-05 DOI: 10.1177/09677720251406819

Ian Bone

引用次数: 0

Lorenzo Martini (1785-1844): A versatile scientific personality and his contribution to the history of hygiene. 洛伦佐·马蒂尼（1785-1844）：一位多才多艺的科学人物，他对卫生史的贡献。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-11-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-05 DOI: 10.1177/09677720251406815

Mariano Martini, Aronne Piccardo

{"title":"Lorenzo Martini (1785-1844): A versatile scientific personality and his contribution to the history of hygiene.","authors":"Mariano Martini, Aronne Piccardo","doi":"10.1177/09677720251406815","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09677720251406815","url":null,"abstract":"Lorenzo Martini (1785-1844) was a physician devoted to promoting hygiene and preventive health. He combined clinical practice with public engagement and relied on both documentary records and debates to shape his practical advice. After a brief biographical profile, we turn to a close reading of the hygiene section of his Manuals of Hygiene and Medical Police (1835) and we examine how that part seeks to disseminate concrete hygienic practices among the population. The study rests on the original 19th-century edition of the Manual as a primary source, with other primary documents in the Historical Archives of the University of Turin and the State Archives of Genoa, and it is supported by secondary sources that help reconstruct Martini's life and situate his ideas within the medical culture of his time. Martini presents prevention as the primary route to protect health, and he argues that the best way to avoid or at least reduce the risk of chronic diseases is to maintain a general state of balance across all aspects of life, including daily habits, environment, diet. Traces of miasmatic and humoral theories of Hippocratic and Galenic origin remain in Martini's thought, showing how emergent preventive ideas coexisted with older medical doctrines.","PeriodicalId":16217,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Biography","volume":" ","pages":"321-326"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2026-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145906119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The Canadian connection: A brief history of small vessel extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery in Canada. 加拿大的联系：加拿大小血管颅外搭桥手术的简史。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-11-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-06 DOI: 10.1177/09677720261421446

Michael A Rizzuto, Sydney J Peerless, Gary J Redekop

引用次数: 0

Holding out for a Hero: Wrestling with the life and legacy of Viola Bernard. 坚持英雄：与维奥拉伯纳德的生活和遗产摔跤。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-09-03 DOI: 10.1177/09677720261481987

Laura Hirshbein

引用次数: 0

'Jus viperinum': Francis Home (1719-1813) and his experiments on the benefits of viper broth in skin disease. “毒蛇肉汤”：弗朗西斯·霍姆（1719-1813）和他对毒蛇肉汤治疗皮肤病的益处的实验。

IF 0.3 4区哲学

Journal of Medical Biography Pub Date : 2026-08-01 Epub Date: 2025-02-16 DOI: 10.1177/09677720251317804

Shanghavie Loganathan, Max Cooper

{"title":"'Jus viperinum': Francis Home (1719-1813) and his experiments on the benefits of viper broth in skin disease.","authors":"Shanghavie Loganathan, Max Cooper","doi":"10.1177/09677720251317804","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09677720251317804","url":null,"abstract":"Francis Home (1719-1813) was a Scottish physician and medical author. Here we consider his biography and three brief accounts of experiments on viper (i.e. adder flesh) broth in the treatment of skin disease ('Herpes or Lepra Gracaeorum'). After a fortnight of treatment one patient was improved but not cured (discontinued due to lack of vipers), one 'almost cured' but refused further treatment at 'disgust' of discovering its contents, and one dismissed cured. The second case constitutes a basic 'cross-over' model as it led to comparison of viper with snail broth in the same patient. Home concluded that viper broth was beneficial for skin disease but his findings did not lead to wider adoption of the treatment. His reported clinical benefits likely arose from improved hydration, protein and cessation of other treatments. Home does not discuss his small sample size or present quantitative outcomes. Home's methods were not influenced by Lind's (1753) methodology for comparing treatments. As both were Edinburgh-trained Scots who served in the British military forces, this reveals the limited communication between clinicians of the day. Home appears to have faced many practical challenges, including accessing vipers, motivating patients' participation and the risk of concomitant treatment with other drugs.","PeriodicalId":16217,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Biography","volume":" ","pages":"191-199"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13392172/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143433244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0