Organon 2010: is a medical textbook after 200 years still up to date?

The question, proposed by the German Central Union of homeopathic Doctors, is the pivotal subject addressed in a series of lectures and discussions being held all over Germany in 2010, to celebrate the bicentenary of homeopathy´s first medical textbook. Hahnemann´s Organon of the Healing Art is the basis for classical homeopathy. Reading its 6th and posthumous edition is part of the education of 90% of the homeopaths, as indicated by a survey carried out at the 60th Homeopathic World Medical Congress (Berlin 2005). This might be odd to conventional doctors, used to read the latest editions of textbooks and journals, but Hahnemann´s therapeutics seems to be ahead of his time, in that classical homeopathy can be at least as effective as current standard pharmacotherapy. For instance, classical homeopathy for children suffering from atopic eczema showed comparable results to conventional treatment in usual care. Moreover, randomized controlled double blind trials using the dynamization scale introduced by the 6th edition (fifty-millesimal or Quinquagintamillesimal dynamization and its products, the Q-potencies) showed that homeopathically individualized Q-potencies were superior to placebo for fibromyalgia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, and not inferior to the antidepressant fluoxetine in a sample of patients with moderate to severe depression. More studies using the clinical-pharmaceutical protocol of the Organon are of course needed, but so far its use by trained physicians have yield to challenging results, keeping up with what is recommended in most recent clinical textbooks for the treatment of some chronic diseases.

Types and Meanings of Compound Words Found in Medical Textbook Entitled Gray’s Basic Anatomy

The title of this study is “Types and Meanings of Compound Words Found in Medical Textbook Entitled Gray’s Basic Anatomy”. This study aims to identify the types and analyze the meanings of compound words found in a medical textbook entitled “Gray’s Basic Anatomy”. The data of this study were collected by using documentation method with note taking technique. This descriptive qualitative study used two theories to analyze the data. The types of compound words were identified by using the theory of compounding proposed by Plag (2003). Meanwhile, the types of meaning of the compound words were analyzed based on the theory of meaning proposed by Ulmmann (1972). After analyzing the data, three types of compound words were found in the medical textbook entitled “Gray’s Basic Anatomy”, they are nominal, adjectival, and neoclassical compounds. Nominal compounds found totaled 37 while adjectival compounds found totaled 42 and neoclassical compound found totaled 135 out of 214. However, verbal compounds were not found in this medical textbook. Based on the analysis of meaning, two types of meaning were found in this medical textbook, they are transparent and opaque meaning. The compounds which have transparent meaning totaled 197 while the compounds which have opaque meaning only totaled 17.

Comparison of drug information in package inserts with standard medical textbook of pharmacology

Background: Accurate and reliable drug product information is important for the safe and effective use of medicines. But there are variations in the quantity and quality of information mentioned in different drug information sources and a single credible benchmark is lacking. This study was carried out to compare the presentation and completeness of clinical information in package inserts (PIs) marketed by pharmaceutical companies in India with standard medical textbook of pharmacology.Methods: Out of eighty five PIs of different drugs, only 55 were found eligible to be included in this study after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. These PIs and medical textbook were analysed for quantitative and qualitative drug information and were compared using Chi square test of two proportions. The p value of 0.05 was used as cut off to evaluate statistical significance.Results: Quantitatively medical textbook was significantly better statistically in context of treatment of overdose and references. No statistically significant difference was observed in relation to information related to mechanism of action (MOA) and pharmacokinetics (Pk). After qualitative analysis, medical textbook was significantly better statistically in context of size and readability, references related to adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and indications and pictures. No statistically significant difference was observed in context of dosing interval, frequency of doses and pharmacokinetic parameters.Conclusions: PIs can be used as a reliable source of drug information by health care professionals in addition to other sources like medical textbooks.

Publishing a medical textbook: What are your options?

The perks and pitfalls of the traditional publication process.

Letter to R. S. W. Dowling

Letter from Winnicott to Dr Dowling on Dowling’s request for Winnicott to write a chapter on the child’s mind for a medical textbook and Winnicott’s refusal.