Author: rjoshimgims

Index Home Our body is a collection of cells, that give shape to our organs, structure, function, thoughts, language, and behaviour. We are a collection of about 30 trillion cells and 38 trillion bacteria who live within. Each of these cells have a beginning. It was a single cell when our lives began, and then over… Continue reading How big and complex is our genetic code

Index Home First stethoscope was invented only in 1816. While this 200 year old instrument, is quite synonymous with medical practice, it is more of a physician’s tool. It has evolved, both in its appearance, as well as its utility. It has the same mysticism, as the symbol of medicine – the staff and the intertwined… Continue reading Stethoscope: An integral tool in medical practice

Index Home All diseases are not equal. While some get more attention, others are neglected. This unequal treatment is often due to either a threat-perception, our ability to make a change, or simply because fewer people talk about them. Further, modern medicine has always had its focus on disease-threats in the northern hemisphere. For instance, tuberculosis… Continue reading Neglected tropical illnesses and their postage stamps

Index Home We often wonder how human and animal bodies work ? Our bodies are an incredible assembly of countless systems. These systems make us see, run, hear, feel, move, talk, taste, react, think, interact, memorise and conceptualise. Further, these increasingly complex actions, are mostly harmonious, like a lifelong orchestra. Physiology is a branch of biology,… Continue reading Three pioneers, who found how do our bodies work

World Health Organization was established in 1948. Since 1950, we observe 7th April as World Health Day (WHD) and we have a different theme every year. In the following section, I have listed year wise themes. Each theme is illustrated by one postage stamp. While the stamp does not always match the year, but attempts… Continue reading Lets count 75 years of World health days

Index Home Let’s begin this story in 1906. This is the year of first ever postage stamp on tuberculosis (TB). On 21st December, Netherlands issued a postage stamp. This was a semi-postal Christmas charity, where postal authorities sold 1c, 3c, 5c stamps at double the price. One half went to postage. They gave the other to… Continue reading When sun, air, water and food treated TB

Index Home Every budding doctor needs to read many books. These medical books are not only an integral part of training, but also a companion for life. Today, in this world of information explosion, books compete with journals. Journals are a collection of periodic updates, newer thoughts, and renewed experiences. With innumerable medical books and about… Continue reading Medical books and journals in postal stamps

Index Home Liver is single, kidneys are in a pair. Our hollow intestines absorb whatever we eat or drink, and send it to more solid liver to process. It’s cells undergo a flurry of activities. Liver cells create substances, store nutrients, and let-go of things we do not need. Feed makes it busy, and starvation busier… Continue reading Lively Liver and Kind Kidneys

Index Home Today many countries enrol more women than men in their medical schools. India reached this landmark in 2011. Among OECD countries, these proportions are highest in the Baltics (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia), where more than two-thirds of all doctors are women. Bottom four in this list are Japan, Korea, Luxembourg and the United States.… Continue reading Women doctors: quite Invisible to the postal stamps ?

Index Home Hearing is one of the five senses, and listening is part of the sixth. We capture sound, filter out the noise, and pass it on to our brain. This intricate process of hearing is just one of the many inputs that set a chain of thoughts. What we see, feel, smell, and taste add… Continue reading How to hear, and listen for the unsaid