1,720,972 research outputs found
Early debates on urination in ancient Greek medicine
Full text linkAlthough considerable effort has been made by scholars to reconstruct the discovery of renal function in modern times, little attention has been paid to clarifying the early steps of ideas about urine production in Antiquity. In the oldest literature, the site of urine formation remained undetermined. Later, the bladder was considered the central uropoietic place. The first documents advocating the role of the kidneys are attested in the Hippocratic Corpus. In the IV century, Aristotle provided a theory of kidney activity. The Hellenistic and Greek-Roman physicians were aware of the fundamental role that the kidneys play in urine production. The kidneys filtered the urine and separated it from the blood. Thus, the excreting activity of the kidneys was postulated in ancient Greek medicine. This historical note describes the initial development of theories on uropoiesis and the early emergence of ideas that will provide a basic conceptual framework in modern medicine
The limping nuns. Two cases of hip dislocation in a medieval female monastery
No full textWe observed the upward displacement of the femoral heads in the skeletal remains of two females unearthed from the medieval cemetery of the monastery of Santa Maria in Valle, in Cividale del Friuli (North-Eastern Italy). Examination of bone vestiges suggests the diagnosis of hip dislocation as the consequence of developmental dysplasia of the hip. In addition, in the youngest subject the first sacral vertebra appears lumbarized and shows the unilateral defect of the right pars interarticularis. Developmental dysplasia of the hip is one of the most common congenital diseases of the musculoskeletal system in newborns. Findings suggest that the skeletons belong to two nuns, who perhaps enter monastic life precisely because of their pathology
The craniovertebral junction, between osseous variants and abnormalities: insight from a paleo-osteological study
No full textThe bony components of the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) have been investigated in 172 skeletons, dug up from several archaeological sites, to define the frequency of developmental dysmorphisms, and to acquire qualitative and quantitative data about their morphology. A review of the pertinent literature is also presented. Twenty-five individuals (14.5%) exhibited at least one dysmorphism, which ranged from a condition of simple variant to a true malformation. Four individuals presented two or more anomalies at the same time (2.3% of the whole sample, 16% of the affected individuals). The most frequently observed abnormalities were: (i) the presence of a complete bony bridge in the atlas, forming a canal surrounding the vertebral artery (arcuate foramen, supertransverse foramen, and the simultaneous occurrence of arcuate foramen and supertransverse foramen); (ii) the presence of basilar processes. Basilar processes displayed a great variety in shape and dimension. They also differed with respect to their relationship with atlas and axis. The less frequently detected anomalies were: (i) complete absence of the posterior arch of C1, (ii) fusion of C2 and C3, and (iii) irregular segmentation of C2. A broad array of structural defects has been described at the CVJ. They may occur either isolated or as part of complex multisystem syndromes. Although harmless in many cases, they can notwithstanding cause severe, even life-threatening complications. When unrecognized, they may generate trouble during surgery. Hence, accurate knowledge of CVJ arrangement, including its multifarious variations, is a critical issue for radiologists, clinicians, surgeons, and chiropractors
A mandibular bone defect of uncertain significance: report of a paleopathological case
Full text linkAnatomical variations of the mandibular canal as well as the presence of accessory canals and foramina are common findings in the human mandible. Here, we present a previously unreported type of anatomical variation, consisting of a large full-thickness bone defect of the right mandibular ramus, observed in a young male unearthed from a mediaeval cemetery located in North-Eastern Italy. The defect was located very close to, yet not directly connected with, the mandibular canal. Awareness of the existence of deviations from the anatomical norm such as that we describe here is strategic to avoid diagnostic misinterpretations, minimise technical hitches, and prevent clinical complications during invasive procedures in the region of the mandible
Of flesh and blood i am made – The anatomical study of the recently unveiled wooden christ of donatello in santa maria dei servi, in Padua
No full textTwo paleopathological cases suggestive of paralabral cysts of the shoulder
No full textObjective: To undertake differential diagnosis of scapular bone defects found in two medieval skeletons buried in different necropoles of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy) and to evaluate the clinical significance of paralabral cysts in the context of shoulder pathology. Materials: Individual JoT36 is an adult male exhumed from a necropolis belonging to a rural agricultural settlement dated to the 10th to 11th century A.D. Individual CIVT58 is an adult male from a Langobard necropolis dated to 630–670 A.D. Methods: Macroscopic examination of the skeletons was performed using standard osteological methods and review of pertinent clinical literature to assist differential diagnosis. Results: Between the glenoid cavity and the spinoglenoid notch of the right scapula of JoT36 there is a multilocular circular defect adjacent to the glenoid rim. On the neck of the left scapula of CIVT58, immediately above the spinoglenoid notch, there is a unilocular circular depression. In both cases, the cortical bone appears smooth without any evidence of erosion or sclerosis. Conclusions: Skeletal findings and historical/archaeological contexts of both cases are compatible with the diagnosis of paralabral cysts. Significance: Paralabral cysts are relatively frequently observed in clinical settings but very few examples have been documented in paleopathological literature. This study seeks to improve recognition and interpretation of this pathology in historical/archaeological contexts. Limitations: Findings from a case report can neither generate epidemiological information nor be generalized. Suggestions for further research: Identification of new cases may add valuable information about lifestyles and related shoulder pathologies in ancient times
The Cerebral Cortex and the Songs of Homer: When Neuroscience Meets History and Literature
No full textIn this article we reconsider Homer’s poetry in the light of modern achievements in neuroscience. This perspective offers some clues for examining specific patterns of brain functioning. Homer’s epics, for instance, painted a synthetic picture of the human body, emphasizing some parts and neglecting others. This led to the formation of a body schema reminiscent of a homunculus, which we call the “Homeric homunculus.” Both poems were largely the product of centuries of oral tradition, in which the prodigious memory of courtly rhapsodists was essential to the performance of the epics. The underlying cognitive functions required a close interplay of memory and language skills, supported by the musical and rhythmic cadence of Homeric verse
Linear B Mycenaean Greek and medical nomenclature
No full textThis brief report is intended to call attention to the fact that we use some very old terms in our daily medical speaking that were in use about 3500 years ago and were probably uttered as early as the late Bronze Age by Achilles, Agamennon and the other Homeric heroes outside the walls of Troy
A forgotten debate in the history of medicine: vascular anastomoses, from open functional relationships to tight structural connections
Full text linkAccording to current anatomical nomenclature, vascular anastomoses are direct connections between blood vessels. The Greek word ‘anastomōsis’ means ‘opening’ and conveys the idea of ‘patency’ rather than ‘connection’. Anastomōsis, and the related term sunanastomōsis, originally referred to a mere approximation of the mouths of adjacent blood vessels – especially arterioles and venules – facing each other at their terminal ends. These vessels were not strictly connected and did not form anatomical units in the proper sense. Over time, however, the term anastomōsis underwent a significant semantic change and now denotes a closed, structured anatomical connection. How and when did this semantic shift occur? The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concept of anastomōsis in different historical periods from Antiquity to the Seventeenth century and to investigate how this entity gradually lost its original meaning of mere functional opening to acquire the notion of true anatomical structure
Indagine paleopatologica su una serie di scheletri del XVI/XVII sec. provenienti dalla pieve di S. Stefano in Cesclans (Cavazzo, Udine)
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