Preliminary Note on the Possibility of Treating Mitral Stenosis by Surgical Methods.

Abstract

352the exception of considerable but not profound anaemia her general condition is good. The presence of ascites with solid ovarian tumours is not in the least to be understood i as evidence of malignancy, for the innocent growths' are invariably accompanied by it. It is a curious phenomenon in intra-abdominal disease that a solid tumour—e.g., a fibroma of the ovary-should cause ascites, while a growth of precisely similar structure in the uterus should not. As in the last case, the cedema of the lower extremities is a mechanical effect of pressure. The solid nodules felt in the

Heart transplantation: Research that led to the first human transplant in 1967

“…The famous surgeon Stephen Paget asserted in 1896 that 'the surgery of the heart has probably reached the limits set by nature to all surgery' . Brunton 8 wrote in 1902 of the possibility that mitral valve stenosis might be treated surgically. He and others stimulated the notion that surgery on the heart is possible, yet others strongly criticised such ideas.…”

The evidence on which to base practice: different tools for different times

“…This was based on his study of 70 cases of mitral stenosis in the post mortem room at Guy's [14]. Lauder Brunton [15], a physician at St Bartholomew's Hospital shared Samway's vision and eloquently set out the problem in 1902.…”

“…On looking at the contracted mitral orifice in a severe case of this disease one is impressed by the hopelessness of ever finding a remedy which will enable the auricle to drive the blood in a sufficient stream through the small mitral orifice, and the wish unconsciously arises that one could divide the constriction as easily during life as one can after death' [15].…”

Insect Bites

“…Canizares and Shatin 1 have recently written a valuable article in which they present a classification and description of the members of the phylum Arthropoda and indicate the skin lesions that they cause and the diseases transmitted by them. Those of common interest to most of us in this discussion belong to either the class Arachnida (spiders, ticks, and mites) or class Hexapoda (bugs, lice, fleas, flies, and mosquitoes).…”