Category: Health Professionals

This blog is about humans behind health care delivery, who may be named or unnamed

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 Widal, a French physician-scientist. While the test is still popular in areas where typhoid fever is a concern, medical texts rather focus on problems with… Continue reading Widal: A century old blood test and its creator

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 a short period of time. Such medics were mostly carrying out their profession in the civilian population. The earliest account of dedicated surgeons or physicians… Continue reading How did armies started having their own medical corps

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 to keep armies fighting fit, and to address injuries and causalities during wars. However, some medics employed in the armed forces made their mark in… Continue reading Some Military medics who made it to philately

Hodgkin and Pauling: Two friends with a common cause

This blog is an incredible tale about two scientists, both Nobel laureates, who eventually became friends for life. Dorothy Hodgkin, was a British Chemist was third woman ever to win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964 for her discovery of structure of Vitamin B12. She also discovered structures of Penicillin and Insulin. On the… Continue reading Hodgkin and Pauling: Two friends with a common cause

Antonín Holý: A Czech scientist who Created Tenofovir

Index Home Tenofovir is a medicine, that today is at the forefront for treatment of HIV and Heptatitis-B infection. Story of this drug, and its creators is however incredible. We knew only a little about HIV, at the time of discovery of this drug. At that time no one could have predicted that it will also… Continue reading Antonín Holý: A Czech scientist who Created Tenofovir

People who improved our knowledge of malaria

Index Home Malaria is an ancient disease, that announces its presence in the human body with a high grade fever. Since ancient times, a catastrophic, high grade fever with chills and intense shivering was believed to be malaria. Hippocrates believed it to occur due to bad air that emanated from swamps, and hence the name. In… Continue reading People who improved our knowledge of malaria

Maimonides a philosopher-physician of medieval times

Index Home We donot attribute middle ages or the medieval period, with any major scientific advancement. Europe, in these times was a battleground for religions. Since christianity was on a rise, ancient pagan believers and jews were cajoled, coerced and even threaten to embrace this new religion. By 10th century AD, Christianity was firmly placed as… Continue reading Maimonides a philosopher-physician of medieval times

About flowing beards, wisdom and medical men

Index Home One of my postage stamp albums is about personalities. Quite like a ‘Guess-who‘ game, you can never miss the flowing beards of many famous personalities, especially those who lived more than a 100 years ago. Probably a flowing beard was a sign of intellect, before it was trimmed, shortened and eventually disappeared. It seems… Continue reading About flowing beards, wisdom and medical men