Virginia Apgar, an accidental anesthetist
All medical students are taught Apgar score, a 10-point scale to grade a just-born as healthy or at risk. This has made Virginia Apgar quite immortal. She however was neither…
William Osler and origin of residency in medical training
Medical training is long. Across the globe, students enter the medical school for an initial generic training. When medical students complete this initial 4-5 years of training, they become doctors.…
The Rise and fall of Mass Miniature Radiography (MMR)
Around 1950s Mass miniature radiography or MMR was a cornerstone of public health screening for Tuberculosis. It was a mobile X-ray unit that roamed villages, towns and cities, photographing the…
McDowell performs first successful abdominal surgery: accolades and brickbats
In December of 1809, Ephraim McDowell performed an abdominal surgery, and successfully removed a large ovarian tumor. This was many decades before Anesthesia was invented, and at a time when…
Dog guides as friends for the visually challenged
Throughout history, dogs have stood by humans as hunters, herders, guardians, and loyal companions. But perhaps one of their most noble and transformative roles is that of the guide dog—a…
Malpighi and beyond: Italian legacy with a microscope
Malpighi and discovery of capillaries Marcello Malpighi, was born in Italy in the year 1628. It was the same year, when an English Physician William Harvey had discovered circulation of…
Helmholtz made it possible to look inside the eye
It is extremely rare for a medical doctor to eventually become a Professor of physics. Further, he not only invented opthalmoscope - an instrument we use to look inside an…
Four medical innovations with an Australian link
Early in 2020, Australia Post issued a set of four postage stamps on Medical Innovations. These stamps are bright and attractive, and each of these innovations were disruptive for the…
Health in Stamps was born today, three years ago
Health in stamps, this blog post site turns three today. It was 10th July 2022, when the site was live with its first post. In fact it was borne out…
Zoonoses: Why diseases from animals now pass on to us
We share a common environment with all other plants and animals. This is not merely a co-existence, but at times a competition for resources such as food and habitat. Our…