Ernst von Leyden (1832–1910): a pioneer in making oncology a respected medical discipline

Purpose This article presents new research on the role of the renowned German physician Ernst von Leyden (1832–1910) in the emergence of oncology as a scientific discipline. Methods The article draws on archival sources from the archive of the German Society of Haematology and primary and secondary literature. Results Leyden initiated two important events in the early history of oncology: the first international cancer conference, which took place in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1906, and the founding of the first international association for cancer research (forerunner of today's UICC) in Berlin in 1908. Unfortunately, these facts are not mentioned in the most recent accounts. Both had a strong impact on the professionalization of oncology as a discipline in its own right. Conclusion Although not of Jewish origin, von Leyden was considered by the National Socialists to be “Jewish tainted”, which had a lasting effect on his perception at home and abroad.

Inflating the Prestige of Demons

In the sixteenth century, witchcraft was generally thought to be a grave danger. Specific people, a majority of them women, were believed to threaten the world as servants of the Devil. In his De praestigiis daemonum, published in 1563, the Dutch / German physician Johan Wier argued that human beings were unable to perform witchcraft and that the women who were accused were innocent but often deluded by demons into believing that they were guilty. In his plea for tolerance Wier was inspired by his brother Matthias and the spiritualist prophet David Joris. In order to convince his readers he used their prejudices, that he himself rejected, about the power of demons and the intellectual capacities of women.

The early book herbaria of Leonhard Rauwolf (S. France and N. Italy, 1560–1563): new light on a plant collection from the ‘golden age of botany’

The sixteenth century was a golden age for botany, a time when numerous naturalists devoted themselves to the study and documentation of plant diversity. A very prominent figure among them was the German physician, botanist, and traveler Leonhard Rauwolf (1535?–1596), famous for his travel account and luxurious book herbarium containing plants from the Near East. Here, we focus on the less studied, early book herbaria of Rauwolf. These form a three-volume plant collection bound in leather and gold, which contains over 600 plants that Rauwolf collected between 1560 and 1563 in S. France and N. Italy when he was a student of medicine. We show the botanical value of Rauwolf’s early book herbaria, exemplified by two exotic American specimens, namely one of the oldest surviving specimens of tobacco (Nicotiana rustica), collected in Italy, and the oldest known French record of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica). These well-preserved specimens indicate that Rauwolf was eager to collect exotic plants already in his early botanical steps. We further discuss Rauwolf’s professional botanical network during his student years and suggest that the famous Swiss botanist Johann Bauhin (1541–1613), friend and companion of Rauwolf during his field excursions and their medical studies in Montpellier, has played a significant role in the compilation of this precious historical plant collection. We also show that Leonhart Fuchs (and not Carolus Clusius) extensively annotated the three book herbaria. Finally, we reconstruct the story of making of the book herbaria, as evidenced through observations of paper watermarks and handwritten texts in the book volumes, and show that all four book herbaria of Rauwolf were probably bound between 1577 and 1582.

The emperor’s herbarium: The German physician Leonhard Rauwolf (1535?–96) and his botanical field studies in the Middle East

This paper presents the results of the new interdisciplinary research done on Leonhard Rauwolf’s herbarium with plants from the Middle East, which was later owned by Emperor Rudolf II. Using various sources, it examines how the herbarium came into the imperial collections, Early Modern methods of botanical research as described by Rauwolf in his printed travelogue, and how the illustrations for the printed book were produced from the specimens in the herbarium. The appendix (available in the online version) presents the new corrected botanical identification of the c. 200 plants in the fourth volume of Rauwolf’s herbarium, and a correct transcription of the Early Modern Latin and vernacular names Rauwolf collected for these plants.

ANAL FISTULA TREATED BY HOMEOPATHY IN A FRENCH BULLDOG - CASE REPORT

Introdution: Anal fistula/perianal is a disease that affects the anal tissue and adjacent skin, associated with severe skin infections. The occurrence of this disease is higher than it appears in the routine of the small animal clinic. The etiology of the perianal fistula has not been elucidated so far. The diagnosis is clinical, and its treatment employs antibiotics, immunosuppressants. However, these medicines are not always efficient, and surgery becomes the only option. Side effects are frequent, and a complementary treatment plan must be evaluated. Homeopathy is a therapeutic technique suggested by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann and aims at healing through stimuli to the body's vital energy. This study aimed to report a perianal fistula occurrence in a dog of the French bulldog breed treated by homeopathy. Methods: Male dog, French bulldog breed, with the complaint of walking and sitting at all times associated with the frequent licking of the anus. After physical examination the diagnosis was perianal fistula. The treatment was based by -9 -6 homeopathy with injectable medicines Belladonna D9 (1x10 ) associated with Arnica montana D6 (1x10 ); Nitric acidum -60 -18 30CH (1x10 ); Hamamellis virginiana D18 (1x10 ). The patient showed clinical improvement right after the first application of the medication, decreasing the stimulus of pain and discomfort. Seventeen days after treatment initiation, the inflammatory process was resolved. Homeopathy has been proposed as a regulatory therapy with a natural tendency to rebalance vital energy and organic functions. The homeopathic medicines were chosen based on the law of similars, i.e., using highly diluted and energized medicines to treat the symptoms and diseases that these same substances, in ponderal doses, would cause in a healthy patient. The treatment here reported did not generate side effects and was effective in its purpose. Treatment time was short, and, additionally, the animal was followed up for eight months after treatment with no relevant clinical changes. Conclusion: The therapeutic protocol determined reestablished the function of the affected tissues with total resolution of the disease in 17 days, with no complications. New comparative and randomized studies must be carried out to better understand the efficacy of such therapy

The early book herbaria of Leonhard Rauwolf (S. France and N. Italy, 1560–1563): new light on a plant collection from the ‘golden age of botany’

The 16th century was a golden age for botany, a time when numerous naturalists devoted themselves to the study and documentation of plant diversity. A prominent figure among them was the German physician, botanist, and traveler Leonhard Rauwolf (1535?–1596), famous for his luxurious book herbarium containing plants from the Near East. Here we focus on the less studied, early book herbaria of Rauwolf. These form a three-volume plant collection bound in leather and gold, which contains over 600 plants that Rauwolf collected between 1560 and 1563 in S. France and N. Italy when he was a student of medicine. We show the botanical value of Rauwolf’s early book herbaria, exemplified by two exotic American specimens, namely one of the oldest surviving specimens of tobacco (Nicotiana rustica), collected in Italy, and the oldest known French record of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica). We discuss Rauwolf’s professional botanical network during his student years and suggest that the famous Swiss botanist Johann Bauhin (1541–1613), friend and companion of Rauwolf during his field excursions and their medical studies in Montpellier, has played a significant role in the compilation of this precious historical plant collection. We also reconstruct the story of the compilation of the book herbaria, as evidenced through observations of paper watermarks and written texts in the book volumes and show that all four book herbaria of Rauwolf were probably bound between 1577 and 1582.

Robert Koch’s Professional and Personal Life

All creative people, whose names we remember, are united by such a character trait as passion. And the field of creativity is not so important here — both in art, and in technical sciences, and in medicine, to achieve a result, complete immersion in research, some kind of obsession is necessary. Robert Koch (1843-1910) — a great researcher, a German physician, microbiologist and hygienist, proved by his own example that a clear goal, fortitude and efficiency overcome all unfavorable circumstances. This work examined the life and work of Robert Koch over a significant period of time — from graduation to the discovery of tuberculin, its announcement as a treatment for tuberculosis and the recognition of the fallacy of this statement. From the point of view of the authors of the work, this period of time is of great interest. We see Robert Koch — a scientist with extraordinary abilities and a unique combination of character traits. Diligence and the highest ability to work, exactingness towards himself, a clear organization of work, the ability not to stop in the face of difficulties — predetermined the success of his research.

Africa of the beginning of the 20th century in the notes and epistolary of the German physician Ludwig Kühlz

The article analyzes the notes and letters of the doctor of medicine Ludwig Külz, who from 1902 to 1913 worked as a doctor in the West African German colonies of Togoland and Cameroon. The methodical and methodological bases of the work are theories and research tools of relatively new disciplines of intelligentsia studies and imagology. L. Kühlz is considered by the author as a typical representative of the autonomous social and intellectual colonial community, and the images formed around him about Africa and its inhabitants as a result that reflects the complex processes of modernization of the German Second empire and personal education, which were significantly influenced by education and medical practice the activities of the author, the source studied. The article concludes that the views of L. Kühlz fit into the colonial discourse traditional for his time. The readiness of this doctor of medicine to endure the hardships of African service in the name of the German Empire, to bear the burden of culture of the white man through the treatment of the natives and their enlightenment, was combined with paternalism towards local residents and a sense of superiority over them, in which grains of racism were sometimes seen.

Physician-Level Cost Control Measures and Regional Variation of Biosimilar Utilization in Germany

Biologic drugs represent a large and growing portion of health expenditures. Increasing the use of biosimilars is a promising option for controlling spending growth in pharmaceutical care. Amid the considerable uncertainty concerning physicians’ decision to prescribe biosimilars, explicit cost control measures may help increase biosimilar use. We analyze the role of regional cost control measures for biosimilars and their association with physician prescriptions in ambulatory care in Germany. We collect data on cost control measures implemented by German physician associations and national claims data on statutory health insurance covering 2009 to 2015. We perform panel regressions that include time and physician fixed effects to identify the average associations between cost control measures and biosimilar share/use while controlling for unobserved physician heterogeneity, patient structure, and socioeconomic factors. We identify 44 measures (priority prescribing, biosimilar quota) for erythropoiesis-stimulating substances, filgrastim, and somatropin. Estimates of cost control measures and their consequences for biosimilar share and use are heterogeneous by drug, measure type, and physician group. Across specialists, biosimilar quotas accounted for 5.13% to 9.75% of the total average biosimilar share of erythropoiesis-stimulating substances. Explicit quota regulations are more effective than priority prescribing. Regional variation in biosimilar use can be partly attributed to the presence of cost control measures.

The neurologist’s hammer

From the obscurity of 18th century wineries to the hands of the greatest neurologists in history, the percussion hammer has a fascinating history. The first famous percussion hammer was created in 1841 by the German physician Max Wintrich and was initially used for thoracic percussion. In 1875, Erb and Westphal both published simultaneous articles with the results from research that they had conducted separately, from which they confirmed that percussive objects were useful for stimulating deep tendon reflexes, especially patellar reflexes. The percussion hammer, however, was not yet ideal. It was designed to strike the thorax rather than the tendons, so it did not have the right weight or ideal length, and even its shape was not practical. New modified versions of the instrument subsequently emerged, and the hammer became the characteristic symbol of the neurologist.