1,721,220 research outputs found
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: limitations in current prophylactic strategies and directions for future research
No full textThe Experiments on Electrical Anesthesia in Italy in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century. A Dispute Between a Fearless Surgeon Patriot and a Positivist Researcher
No full text: Electric anesthesia is the anesthesia, usually general anesthesia, produced by the application of an electrical current. This fascinating issue of the anesthesia history was made possible thanks to the pioneering experiments on electrotherapy and electrophysiology performed by two researchers: the neurologist Guillaume Duchenne (1806-1875) and the biologist Stéphane Leduc (1853-1939). The aim of this study is the review of the dispute between two Italian scientists on the effectiveness of electric anesthesia in the second half of the 19th century. One of the two contenders was Rodolfo Rodolfi (1827-1896), an Italian surgeon and patriot who took part in the First Italian War of Independence of 1848, whereas the other protagonist of the dispute was the positivist Plinio Schivardi (1833-1908), a pupil of Duchenne who brought to Italy his knowledge of electrotherapy, collecting these experiences in the Theoretical Practical Manual of Electrotherapy, the first book on the subject written in Italian
The controversial experiments on the intravenous administration of drugs (and air!) during the cholera epidemic of 1867 in Italy
No full textCholera ravaged many American and European cities in the nineteenth century. Likewise, Italy was struck by six epidemics since the morbus first appeared in 1835-1837. After the International Sanitary Conferences held in Paris in 1851, there was a decrease of the cases due to consolidation of the city in terms of public and private health. Nevertheless, due to the lack of alternative and innovative remedies, the mortality remained unchanged, affecting more than 60 percent of patients. The city of Brescia in Northern Italy was severely hit by the epidemic of 1867. Not being able to implement effective therapeutic strategies, the administration of drugs like quinine and strychnine was proposed to be done intravenously. The results of intravenous injections were ominous, and all the patients died of 'sudden death'. Alhtough the academic authorities forbade further experiments, some physicians carried on a long trial using test animals and mental patients as 'guinea pigs'
The intercalatus nucleus of Staderini
No full textRutilio Staderini was one of the leading Italian anatomists of the twentieth century, together with some scientists, such as Giulio Chiarugi, Giovanni Vitali, and others. He was also a member of a new generation of anatomists. They had continued the tradition of the most famous Italian scientists, which started from the Renaissance up until the nineteenth century. Although he carried out important studies of neuroanatomy and comparative anatomy, as well as embryology, his name is rarely remembered by most medical historians. His name is linked to the nucleus he discovered: the Staderini nucleus or intercalated nucleus, a collection of nerve cells in the medulla oblongata located lateral to the hypoglossal nucleus. This article focuses on the biography of the neuroanatomist as well as the nucleus that carries his name and his other research, especially on comparative anatomy and embryology
Mechanisms underlying brain monitoring during anesthesia: limitations, possible improvements, and perspectives
No full textCurrently, anesthesiologists use clinical parameters to directly measure the depth of anesthesia (DoA). This clinical standard of monitoring is often combined with brain monitoring for better assessment of the hypnotic component of anesthesia. Brain monitoring devices provide indices allowing for an immediate assessment of the impact of anesthetics on consciousness. However, questions remain regarding the mechanisms underpinning these indices of hypnosis. By briefly describing current knowledge of the brain's electrical activity during general anesthesia, as well as the operating principles of DoA monitors, the aim of this work is to simplify our understanding of the mathematical processes that allow for translation of complex patterns of brain electrical activity into dimensionless indices. This is a challenging task because mathematical concepts appear remote from clinical practice. Moreover, most DoA algorithms are proprietary algorithms and the difficulty of exploring the inner workings of mathematical models represents an obstacle to accurate simplification. The limitations of current DoA monitors - and the possibility for improvement -as well as perspectives on brain monitoring derived from recent research on corticocortical connectivity and communication are also discussed
Maria Montessori (1870-1952): Women's emancipation, pedagogy and extra verbal communication
No full textMaria Montessori is one of the most well-known women in Italian history. Although she was the first woman who graduated in medicine in Italy, she is mostly known as an educator. Her teaching method -the Montessori Method- is still used worldwide. Because she could not speak English during the imprisonment in India, there was a big obstacle for her communication with children. However, the need to adopt a non-verbal communication, led her to a sensational discovery: children use an innate and universal language. This language, made of gestures and mimic, is called "extra verbal communication"
The Illness and Death of Enrico Caruso (1873–1921): A Medical Chorus Out of Tune?
No full textThe Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso is considered by many people the most famous opera singer of all time or "The Matchless Singer" for his unique and suggestive vocal timber. Although a man of humble origins, he managed to rise from poverty, thanks to his extraordinary intelligence and determination. From his debut in 1895 in Naples, until December 24, 1920, the tenor had a brilliant career with many performances and over 500 songs in his repertoire. This intense lifestyle went on until 1919, when the fortune that had always accompanied him began to fade and he entered a fast "descending parable." In this study, we analyze Caruso's medical history during his last year of life: Through the study of the newspapers from the period and the statements reported on the tenor's many biographies, we tried to offer a detailed evaluation of the complex pathogenic chain of events that led to his death, impeding him from keeping to alleviate the heart-breaking nostalgia of many emigrants that felt in his singing the warmth of a too distant land
Taphophobia and ‘life preserving coffins’ in the nineteenth century
No full textIn 1891 the Italian psychiatrist Enrico Morselli (1852-1929) described taphophobia, defining it as an extreme condition of claustrophobia due to the fear of being buried alive. This rare psychopathological phenomenon reflects an ancient fear, and its origin is not known. Taphophobia is closely linked to the problem of apparent death and premature burial. In the nineteenth century, scientists and authors paid particular attention to the issue of apparent death, and special devices (safety coffins) were invented to ensure that premature burial was avoided. Nowadays taphophobia is quite a rare psychiatric disorder; different forms of social anxiety disorders are much more widespread. Its modern equivalent could be the fear of organs harvested from a patient who is still alive
Rise and decline of the barbiturate methitural for intravenous anesthesia: A systematic search and narrative synthesis
No full textBackground: Within the history of intravenous anesthesia, barbiturates represent a chapter of considerable importance. Although the reference barbiturate thiopental had several limitations, it dominated the scene of the intravenous anesthesia until the mid-1980s, when propofol was introduced on the market. In the meantime, several barbiturate derivatives were placed on the market and abounded. This work is aimed at evaluating the clinical impact of the barbiturate derivatives methitural, analyzing the reasons for its rapid abandonment, in the late 1950s. Methods: A systematic methodology of the search was associated with a descriptive analysis of the bibliography found. A computer-operated search strategy using Medline and Google Scholar databases was implemented. The algorithm was composed by using the words "Diogenal" OR "Thiogenal" OR "Methitural" OR "Metigenal" OR "Neraval" including biochemical and marketed terms. A manual search of the sources was carried out, and precise inclusion and exclusion criteria were established. The narrative synthesis was conducted taken into account the historical context of anesthesia. Results: The database search yielded 3645 records. Nineteen records were identified through other sources. After duplicates removing (n = 238), and exclusion of not pertinent 3027 records, 314 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Of those, other 225 papers were excluded and 89 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. Conclusion: Although methitural could be useful in particular surgical settings such as short-acting surgery, and in patients with liver diseases, a limited advantage over thiopental, and its scarce market diffusion due to increased costs, have limited its use. Through a critical analysis of literature, the lack of high-quality studies does not allow us to draw definitive conclusions on the drug
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