Historia de la Medicina Frederic Foley: De Neurocirujano a Urólogo

Federic Eugene Basil Foley fue un médico estadounidense quien inventó la sonda vesical que recibe su nombre. Inicialmente, tuvo interés en convertirse en neurocirujano mientras trabajaba junto a Harvey Cushing. Sin embargo, terminó dedicándose a la urología, donde realizó su mayor aporte.

Medulloblastoma in Adulthood

Defined as a tumour with increased malignancy potential in childhood, medulloblastoma was first reported in the literature by Percival Bailey and Harvey Cushing in 1925. Scientific studies over the years have shown that this type of tumour represents about 20% of all intracranial tumours encountered in childhood, their percentage decreasing with advancing age. The genetic factor plays an important part in the appearance of medulloblastoma; there are certain diseases, in the patient’s history, that can be associated with this type of tumour. Here, we can specify Turcot syndrome (an autosomal recessive disease, rarely encountered) or basal cell carcinoma syndrome. This article presents the case of a young patient (41-year-old) suffering from a cerebellar tumour formation that turned out to be, after histopathological examination, a medulloblastoma. In practice we can find several types of medulloblastoma (desmoplastic or nodular, anaplastic, classical or undifferentiated). In what follows I will try to highlight a few aspects of a classic medulloblastoma.

Dr. Louise Eisenhardt’s personal notes: how she and Dr. Cushing collected data and followed patients

Dr. Louise Eisenhardt was one of the first neuropathologists and was responsible for the development of tumor diagnosis guidelines. This historical vignette reviews her previously unseen handwritten notes in which she describes methods used by her and Dr. Harvey Cushing to obtain patient follow-up data for their Brain Tumor Registry. Her description spans 50 years, using “every possible clue to be jumped upon in [their] clinical records and correspondence.” Their follow-up was divided into two periods: early follow-up (1912–1932) and registry (1933–1961). During early follow-up, patients were asked to write to them on the anniversary of their operation. The foundation of the registry necessitated the use of “considerable effort on [their] part to gather up old threads” including renewed contact with patients after 15–20 years. Methods of follow-up included continued verbal and written correspondence with patients and “strong-arm methods,” including use of the Fuller Brush man and the exhumation of a body. Drs. Eisenhardt and Cushing believed “every case was important in adding to our collective knowledge of various types of tumors particularly in relationship to life expectancies and suggesting improvement in surgical treatments.” Dr. Eisenhardt’s meticulous record keeping allows for insights into the first known outcomes-related tumor registry in neurosurgery.

The Pioneer Neuropharmacologist Alfred Fröhlich (1871–1953) and the Origins of Neuroendocrinology: A Sesquicentennial Remembrance

The birth of neuroendocrinology as a scientific discipline is traced back to 1900–1901, when Joseph Babinski, Alfred Fröhlich, and Harvey Cushing independently identified adiposogenital dystrophy (Fröhlich syndrome), and related gonadal underdevelopment and obesity to a tumor near the pituitary gland. This discovery prompted decades of research into the brain mechanisms responsible for the control of peripheral metabolism and endocrine functions. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Fröhlich’s birth, this study traces the origins of his intellectual formation and his association with renowned contemporaries in Austria, England, Italy, and finally Cincinnati, Ohio, where he sought refuge after Austria’s annexation by Nazi Germany. Fröhlich interacted with seminal figures in biomedicine, including Lothar von Frankl-Hochwart, Hans Horst Meyer, Ernst Peter Pick, Harvey Cushing, John Newport Langley, and the Nobel laureates Charles Scott Sherrington and Otto Loewi. Alfred Fröhlich, one of the 20th century’s most emblematic physicians, left his mark on neurophysiology and neuropharmacology with important works, and published authoritative manuals of drug dispensing and clinical therapy. He confronted the calamities of two World Wars with remarkable resilience like many of his Viennese colleagues who, overcoming the constraints of National Socialism, settled overseas to fulfil their calling as physicians, researchers, and teachers.

In memory of the great surgeon-Harvey Williams Cushing

Harvey Cushing is one of the greatest surgeons of the early 20th century. The young doctor was trained in the best medical universities; parents, teachers and colleagues always noted his thirst for knowledge. Cushing opened a new page in the study of neurosurgery, endocrinology, anesthesiology, and neurology. Thanks to the improvement of surgical techniques, the great doctor has achieved a reduction in mortality in surgical interventions, and new diagnostic methods have given life to more than one person. Cushing’s versatility amazed his contemporaries and still surprises the world. His books won the Pulitzer prize, one of the most prestigious literary prizes, he was repeatedly nominated for the Nobel prize, and the American Association of neurosurgeons is named in honor of the greatest doctor.

The history of neurosurgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center

The Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center has grown considerably from one neurosurgeon in 1923 into a first-class department with diverse subspecialty care and innovative faculty. Founding neurosurgeon Dr. J. Jay Keegan, a student of Harvey Cushing, instituted a legacy of clinical and research excellence that he passed on to his successors. The department created a lecture series to honor Keegan’s pioneering techniques and impact in the field, featuring prominent neurosurgeons from across the country. Keegan’s successors, such as Dr. Lyal Leibrock, grew the department through a unique partnership with private practice. The current faculty has continued the tradition of exceptional resident training and innovative patient care.

Communicating with medical library users during COVID-19

Background: The Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library serves a community of over 22,000 individuals primarily from the Yale Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing and the Yale New Haven Hospital. Though they are geographically close to one another, reaching these disparate populations can be a challenge. Having a clear and thorough communication plan has proved invaluable in transcending communication chasms, especially in recent times of crisis.Case Presentation: This article describes the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library’s methods for communicating and promoting its remote resources and services in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It details our communication strategies and messages leading up to, and after, the Yale campus was closed and specifies how we pivoted from reaching users inside the library to reaching our audiences remotely.Conclusions: Our communication plan has provided the foundation for all of our messaging, be it print or digital media. In recent moments of crisis, it has been especially helpful for planning and executing large scale messaging. Similarly, knowing whom to contact around our organization to promote our message in different and broader ways has been extremely beneficial. This article has been approved for the Medical Library Association’s Independent Reading Program.

Harvey Cushing’s international visitors

Harvey Cushing is considered the father of neurosurgery, not just for his work within the United States, but also for his global influence through international visitors and trainees. Starting in 1920, the neurosurgical clinic at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, led by Cushing, trained surgeons from all over the globe, many of whom returned home to establish neurosurgical departments and become neurosurgical pioneers themselves. The objective of this vignette is to highlight the importance of Cushing’s international trainees, describe their contributions, and discuss how each had an impact on the development of the practice of neurosurgery worldwide. The authors demonstrate how Cushing provided the impetus for a movement that revolutionized neurology and neurosurgery worldwide. Even today, international cooperation continues to shape the success of our delicate specialty.