Widal: A century old blood test and its creator
Widal test is commonly used across tropical countries, in an attempt to find out if a person with fever, has typhoid. This popular test is named after its creator, Georges-Fernand-Isidor…
Olive branches and white doves
Olives Olives are native to Mediterranean region, but are also grown in various other parts of the world. This slow growing plant, does not need much of water to grow.…
Heparin: A blood drug first found in Liver
Heparin a naturally occurring substances in many animals. It is an important drug to treat heart attacks and clots in our arteries and veins. We also use it when we…
Blood, when it was either black or white
It was between the years 1900-02, when Karl Landsteiner and colleagues discovered blood groups A, B, AB and neither A nor B (or O). This discovery not only led to…
How did armies started having their own medical corps
Injuries were expected during wars, but neither doctors nor individuals with medical know-how were an integral part of the armed forces. These were either volunteers, or could be requisitioned for…
Bitten by a snake and to reverse its venom
Rains are here, and soon snakes shall follow. This is a routine in vast swathes of rural tropics, including India. Snakes are an integral part of folklore, as well as…
Alcoholism: From an age-old drink to a medical taboo
As per World Health Organization "Alcohol is a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence producing properties". As per WHO estimates, 2.6 million deaths every year are attributable to Alcohol consumption.…
Some Military medics who made it to philately
Across the world military employs medical doctors in its workforce. This tradition is ancient, and can be traced back to Roman times. While primary task of these military medics was…
How high are your blood pressure values ?
About a third of all adults across the world have high blood pressure values. The numbers are steadily rising, especially in Asia, where most people of the world live. You…
Red cross develops a system to communicate with prisoners of war (PoWs)
Prisoner of War management during world wars A less talked about consequence of wars are prisoners of war. These are soldiers of one warring side, that are captured by the…