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Questions tagged [medical-history]

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10 votes
1 answer
305 views

Whatever happened to Tonsillitis?

70 or so years ago, kids all got their tonsils out. I have a family member who, when perfectly healthy, had them out (75 or more years ago) because his twin was having his out, and it would be too ...
Kate Gregory's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
119 views

How were Penicillin F, G, X and K letters chosen, etymologically?

Plenty of articles from around 1945 describe how multiple penicillin had been purified from Penicillium strains, and that these were named F, G, X and K in the USA, and I, II, III, IV in Britain, see ...
BipedalJoe's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

"Uterine Disease" in 1880

In genealogical research, I have found a woman in the 1880 US Census in the Institute for Women and Children in New York City.Her illness is listed as "Uterine Disease". The Women's Medical ...
Beverly Howard's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
54 views

How do we know that the Spanish flu was an influenza? [closed]

Many diseases of the respiratory tract present as having “Flu like symptoms” how do we know that the 1918 Spanish flu was a strain of influenza and not some virus with similar symptoms?
Q the Platypus's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
2k views

In medieval times, how were twins detected?

I was wondering how women (in the old times) were able to find if they were expecting twins. Was it possible a woman give birth to twins without knowing it?
spohreis's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
614 views

Efficiency of mercury in syphilis treatment

The most common treatment of syphilis - from the first outbreaks in the 19th century to the early years of the 20th century was mercury given in various forms - pills, ointments, steam baths or even ...
Yasskier's user avatar
  • 131
3 votes
0 answers
50 views

That famous Vivien Thomas suture - what was it?

Does anyone know what sort of stitch Vivien Thomas used that prompted the remark from Blalock, "this looks like something the Lord made?" How closely does the modern atrial septectomy resemble Vivien ...
jzx's user avatar
  • 214
2 votes
1 answer
179 views

How much lead would need to be ingested daily to show symptoms of lead poisoning?

There are a number of sources that claim 18th century aristocrats contracted lead poisoning from eating tomatoes off of pewter plates: Because tomatoes are so high in acidity, when placed on this ...
rphv's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
162 views

Consumption and Tuberculosis

Watching a historical based TV drama, which is usually pretty accurate in medical history as far as I know, portrayed a postmortem on a discovered skelton where death by consumption was determined due ...
Chris Rogers's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
19 views

Protocol for prior complications prior to a surgery

Consider the following scenario: A patient undergoes a surgical procedure (say, total knee arthroscopy). A few days later, the patient is readmitted for a complication, such as a pulmonary embolism ...
Alex R.'s user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
23 views

Have any novel virus or bacteria ever been created by man in the laboratory that we know of?

This question may be off topic for medicine. Let us not consider COVID19. Are there any known man made viruse or bacteria ever created or modified by man that we know of? Bio weapons labs weaponize ...
Sedumjoy's user avatar
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When did modern medicine begin?

What is the conventionally accepted time period in which modern medicine began and are there any discoveries that are considered to be particularly relevant?
driangle's user avatar
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1 answer
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Could lithium be considered alternative medicine historically?

Lithium is naturally found in takable form in nature and was put in water(some bathes/springs naturally) and sodas for years prior to having it approved by the FDA. Interestingly historically could ...
William's user avatar
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1 answer
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What does it mean to die from midbrain congestion?

The death certificate of a relative who died in Spain in 1887 states the cause of death was a midbrain congestion (congestión del mesencéfalo in Spanish). He died in a psychiatric hospital at the age ...
gparis's user avatar
  • 103
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1 answer
476 views

Have there been any medically verified records of individuals with parts of their bodies paralyzed for years that eventually got healed?

The title pretty much says it all and should be enough, but I'm honestly asking the question motivated by an alleged case of healing that went viral in 2010. The description of the case is presented ...
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24 views

Book recommendation for: Introduction to Health, Anthropology, Demography. History of Medicine

Could you recommend a book for this subject on medicine: Introduction to Health, Anthropology, Demography. History of Medicine? The thematic blocks of the subject are: 1. Health and healthcare ...
Guillemus Callelus's user avatar