Cito tuto jucunde, a phrase that can be translated as “Quickly, safely, and pleasantly,” was the motto of one of the fathers of medicine—a Greek who refuted the Hippocratic doctrine of the four humors in favor of a proto-microbial theory based on Democritus’ atomic theory. He was a man who recommended not confining the mentally […]
Medicine
Posted inArt, Classical Archaeology
A Roman Statuette from the 2nd Century Found in Braga Reveals a Case of Crouzon Syndrome in Antiquity
In a discovery that intertwines archaeology, art history, and medicine, a 2nd-century AD bronze figurine unearthed in Bracara Augusta, now Braga in northern Portugal, may provide evidence of a rare genetic condition known as Crouzon syndrome. The figurine, recovered during archaeological excavations on Mount Cividade, exhibits intriguing facial features, including exophthalmos (protruding eyes), exotropia (eye […]
Posted inModern Era
Mesmerism, the Theory of Animal Magnetism That Believed in the Existence of an Inner Force in All Living Beings
On August 11, 1784, a report was delivered to Louis XVI, King of France, by the so-called Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism, consisting of two independent committees of physicians and scientists (including Benjamin Franklin), tasked with clarifying the existence or non-existence of an invisible magnetic fluid that surrounded living beings and whose alterations were thought […]
Posted inScience
Researchers Discover a New Blood Group System
A team of researchers has made a significant breakthrough in the field of transfusion medicine by identifying a new blood group system, called MAL. This discovery, published in the journal Blood by the American Society of Hematology, solves the mystery surrounding the AnWj antigen, a marker on the surface of red blood cells whose genetic […]
Posted inAncient Rome
First Mention of the Word ‘Abracadabra’: in a Roman Medical Work from the 2nd Century AD
When we read or hear the expression Abracadabra, we immediately think of witchcraft, enchantments, magic, and things of that nature. Until a few years ago, many magicians used it in their performances, and possibly some still do. The word is not a modern invention; in fact, its age and origin are unknown. Some etymologies suggest […]
Posted inMiddle Ages, Modern Era
Sweating Sickness, the Enigmatic and Lethal Disease that Ravaged England between the 15th and 16th Centuries and Disappeared as Mysteriously as it Arrived
It seemed like flu, but it was much faster and deadlier because it killed the patient within a few hours; it has been compared to relapsing fever, but that, caused by tick or louse bites, causes a local black crust that was not present in this case; there is speculation about an infection by hantavirus, […]
Posted inScience
Researchers Discover Antimicrobial Properties of Tomato Juice Can Eliminate Salmonella
A recent study published in Microbiology Spectrum, the journal of the American Society for Microbiology, has found that tomato juice is effective at killing Salmonella Typhi and other enteric pathogens that can damage the digestive and urinary tract health. Salmonella Typhi is a specific human pathogen that causes typhoid fever. The research team, led by […]
Posted inModern Era
Larrey, the French Surgeon who Created the First Ambulance Service, Treating Allies and Foes at Waterloo
June 18, 1815. Napoleon’s attempt to rebuild his empire, after escaping exile on the island of Elba and regaining control of France, came to an abrupt and disastrous end near a place called Mont Saint-Jean, which has gone down in history as the Battle of Waterloo. During the retreat, Prussian soldiers captured him while trying […]
Posted inArchaeology
Remains of a Woman with Rheumatoid Arthritis Unearthed in Aswan, the Oldest Known Case in Ancient Egypt
Italian and Polish researchers have made a significant discovery in the necropolis of Sheikh Muhammad, located in Aswan, Egypt. In one of the excavated tombs, they found the skeletal remains of a young woman displaying clear signs of having suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. This marks the first diagnosed case of this inflammatory disease in ancient […]
Posted inPre-Columbian Era, Science
Researchers Discover that Syphilis-like Diseases Were Widespread in the Americas Before Columbus’ Arrival
Scientists have made an amazing discovery that sheds new light on the history of an important disease. Researchers from the universities of Basel and Zurich in Switzerland found the genetic material of the pathogen Treponema pallidum in the bones of people who died in Brazil around 2,000 years ago. This is the oldest confirmed discovery […]
