Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Histroy of medicine’ Category

It brings a unique sense of greatness and gratitude to hear the voice of the father of Interventional cardiology decades after his demise.

The invention he made has evolved so much. Though, Dr. Gruentzig didn’t live to see any of them, the genius in him predicted most of them. This Interview was recorded a year before his small plane, which he loved next only to his pet balloons, crashed on the Atlantic coast along with his wife. That is history.

This is how the news was reported across US media on October 29th, 1985. (Reconstructed, click over the pic for high resolution)

It was a fact, that he defied the warning and flew in the adverse weather, what many of us were unaware of was, that he wanted to rush to Emory, only to see a patient whom he had done a PTCA, a few days earlier, developed some complication. This makes his death all the more poignant (Ref Dr. H.V. Anderson )

Reference
 
Here is a good account of the life history of Dr Gruentzig.  Link to the article 

Read Full Post »

What is the true success in a scientific career?

It is not the number of publications in journals or getting those big awards or memberships in prestigious scientific societies. True success is “something else,” says the Nobel Medical Laureate  Dr Willam Kaelin 

Great thoughts. Just wondering, what are those elements beyond our controls he was alluding to?

 

Video courtesy and thanks : http://www.nobel.org

Read Full Post »

GettyImages-865142952-5b5eef884cedfd0050112fa6

Charles river esplanade ,Boston* : A healthy middle-aged man who was jogging quietly, while his heart was under intense scrutiny by the bionic eyes of Apple i-watch’s smart patch electrode. Suddenly, it detected some bizarre ST segment fragmentation (Seems it can predict in advance , Ischemic signals 10 minutes prior to onset of ACS ) The built-in cosmos direct GPS instantly alerted & summoned a titanium powered Space X drone that pulled the patient from the riverside to the nearest human wellness port .

EHANG 184

It dropped him through a remotely accessed split glass roof right inside the hybrid heart lab, to find , men and women chatting with flattish Artificial intelligence panels who readily allowed the robotic arms to hug the patient which engaged the coronary artery pushing radiation free magnetic gas found nothing inside and what would become a perfectly normal human coronary artery .

An amused resident robot gently plucked the patient from the cath table with sheepish laughter and called for another drone to drop the patient exactly in the same place from where he was picked up.The healthy hearted patient thanked the doctors profusely and continued his routine evening jog across the Charles of course with a 16-minute delay!

Next day . . .

Event auditing firm medi-logic mind congratulated the entire cardiac team and its digital health hub for the quality of the network and completing this daring coronary rescue mission in 16 minutes. While the drone to hospital roof time was 3 minutes, the coronary artery visualisation time was perfect.The auditing team had a special mention about the astonishing capability of Apple time watch algorithm that made sure that the patient’s evening routine was unaffected in spite of this life-threatening non cardiac pseudo-emergency. The crowning glory was, the entire expenses amounting to 250000 dollors (after a special money back discount coupon for the first false alarm) were taken care by the patient’s virtual insurance blockchain payment gateway.

*You have just read the news that wasn’t – January 2030 AD

Now, back to reality,

Stumbled on this news clip from pages of Times of India, (20-6-2019) months after I wrote the above piece. I wondered the chase between fact and fiction is becoming  really a close race.

Read Full Post »

Indian subcontinent has a grand old history with a great civilization that began even before the ancient Greek and possibly Egyptian pharaohs .Post renaissance Europe made the British monarchy enter the country in early 1600s .This could be perceived as a new journey of modern India.In the early days of British colonization through East India company , the province in southern Indian Coramandal coast called Madras (Currently named Chennai) was a key economic and power center. Since the hospitals were the prime requirement to take care the Incoming officers ,Govt general hospital is the first major health care center to appear in India more than 300 years ago (In which the author of this blog is currently associated for over two decades) !

history of madras medical college government general hospital elihu yales

Though we currently call it as GGH , the original name was MGH* Madras General Hospital .

Originally built for the sick soldiers of east India company which functioned in the present St George fort premises.Then president of Madras fort Elihu Yale allotted the adjoining land and was instrumental in building the Govt general hospital in the year 1664 .The academic limb of the hospital the Madras medical college came more than a century later in 1835 .

elihu yale madras medical college

Few decades later in 1718 a Governor of New heaven Connecticut , Cotton Mather from far way North America wanted to start a small hospital who was short of money.He requested through his American contacts of British east India company for a donation from a successful British businessman Yale from Wales who making a fortune in the Indian county of Madras . Since, Yale had an American connection by birth in Boston, was willing to donate the money through Indian gifts worth of 560 pounds which was good enough to build the legendary hospital in New Haven which was named later after his name.

*It should mentioned the first seed of this hospital was planted by another British Sir Edward winter (1622-1686) , the Madras agent for the East India Company .

An article which appeared in Yale journal recently recalled the link between these two institutes.

history of madras medical college yale university drsvenkatesan dr s venkatesan cardiologist

Yale, of course carried a tag of being a controversial leader of British empire for misusing his power, still has his name permanently etched in the history of two great medical institution located far across the globe.

His life ended in 1721 , was laid to rest inside the quiet compound of church of Wales .The dark black concrete letters telling to the occasional visitors about the extraordinary life he lived over 300 years ago.

DIGITAL CAMERA

Elihu Yales 1641 -1721.Born in Boston , Lived in Madras died in London. This memorial is found just outside St.Giles Church Wrexham , Wales .UK

st giles church elihu yales memorial Wrexham 2 wales

St.Giles Church Wrexham , Wales .UK

Click here : How to reach Wrexham ?

Another MGH . . .

The MGH as we know today is Massachusetts General hospital which was stated 150 years later than MGH senior in 1811 in Boston. It some times pains me to compare the growth of two . In terms of science , technology and research they are poles apart But in terms of equitable service , care , and social impact I think the senior MGH would still prevail over. !

Postamble

It is fascinating to know origins of college that taught us medicine.I wonder how many of the current students and the alumni know the grand old history of their Alma mater.I wish they pay a visit to St Giles church Wrexham , Wales once in life time. As we stand in-front of the Yale’s memorial one will definitely get that unique feel of travelling to the vintage past when Chennai GH was born with a baby cry !

Reference

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elihu_Yale

2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_University

Read Full Post »

Great men dream , but they just do not sit idle. They do what they are passionate about .History just follows them or they create it.Here is a brief story of an ordinary man born in a small European country Lithuania in 1921  ,lived much of his  life in the east coast of USA ,transformed into a brilliant cardiologist  based in Brigham Hospital , Boston.

He is Dr Bernard Lown , best known as a founder of what is used in every coronary care unit and cardiac surgical theaters around the world . Yes, the DC cardioversion was invented by Lown in the year 1961.(Of course,  it was an Improvement  upon the  pioneering work of Zoll’s AC power line  for defibrillating   the heart  which was impractical and caused much injury )

 

drlown_history

Dr.Bernard Lown (Born 1921) ,With his Invention of DC Cardioversion machine Currently  working in  Harvard University

 

He was also the brain behind the  conversion of local anesthetic agent Lignocaine to cardiac anesthetic  which revolutionized the treatment of ventricular arrhythmia.(What a simple  but a path breaking  idea to use membrane stabilising action of local anesthesia to sedate the heart when it behaves erratically !)

We can also credit him for  rediscovering  Digoxin and found the secret that potassium supplementation can largely overcome  toxicity of this drug which was otherwise lifesaving in dilated , failing hearts  running amok with delirium tremors (Surname for Atrial fibillation in those days !)

While the Invention  of DC cardioversion had  a dramatic impact all over  world , he simultaneously popularized the concept of coronary care units along with Julian in London and Dr Day in Kansas city.

Its said great men’s mind  are perennially restless.Accordingly ,he was worried about the impending nuclear war with USSR and other global powers then. He collaborated with Russian cardiologist Dr. Eugene Chazov. It became a hugely popular peace organisation  International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPN) for which he got ultimately the Noble prize for  in 1985.

 

bernard-lown-dc-cardioversion-lown-institute

During one of his Noble lectures (Linked to video)

 

 

It turned out to be “lovely Irony” for a man who probably should have got a Nobel prize for medicine for inventing DC cardioversion ,  ended up with Nobel peace prize for  his fight against a man made disease called  “Nuclear proliferation”.

Its heartening to note he has visited my country(India)  and was  awarded with Mahatma Gandhi peace prize  as well.He is now 95, active in Harvard   currently turned his vision towards eradicating Inappropriate medical treatment from the noble profession .I wonder , for a man who fought against a  nuclear war, what does this new Initiative mean ? Does he equate the medical profession in its current form and the direction in which travels to something that’s  grossly unacceptable ?

Whatever it is , I humbly endorse his views and has since dragged me to  his Institute.

lown-image

I just joined the institute and signed  a declaration . I wish every physician who take oath on Hippocrates should strengthen Dr Lown’s Doctrine .

Reference 

Link to Wikipedia

nobel-prize-in-medicine-cardiology-drsvenkatesan-venkatesan-madras-medical-college

Read Full Post »

Men are from Mars , and Women are from Venus ” . . . Do you agree ?

Many probably witness the much talked differential behavior among the gender every day. Its argued , men take more risk in life ( often senseless !) , some go to the extreme to suggest Men are Idiots and decorate them with a provocative title MIT (Men Idiot Theory ) (Mcpherson 2011).Risk taking is important in life, but at what cost ? Does women (Who are caring by nature ) help themselves and the society by less risk taking behavior ?

I stumbled upon this rare piece of writing from BMJ which would demand in depth analysis into this gender phenomenon based on evolutionary biology and genetics.

This article concludes, Yes, men . . . indeed tend to take some foolish risks in various life situations that result in potential harm.

Gender difference in medical outcome men are from mars women venus male idiotic theory darwin theory

What is the influence of MIT on medical profession and patient outcome ?

Now , Iam compelled to ask a hypothetical question .Does women medical professionals take less aggressive stance and low risk taking behavior ?

If it’s true, It may have some striking advantage too.

Reference

1.Harris CR, Jenkins M, Glaser D. Gender differences in risk assessment: why do women take fewer risks than men? Judgm Decis Mak2006;1(1): p. 48-63.

2.Eckel CC, Grossman PJ. Men, women and risk aversion: experimental evidence. In: Plott CR, Smith VL, eds. Handbook of experimental economics results. Vol 1. North-Holland, 2008:1061-73.

3.McPherson J. Women are from Venus, men are idiots. Andrews McMeel, 2011

4.Northcutt W. The Darwin Awards: The official Darwin Awards: 180 bizarre true stories of how dumb humans have met their maker. Orion, 2004.

Read Full Post »