Medical history, evolution of healthcare, and historical perspectives on medicine
I went back to the Odyssey when Nolan’s film came out, for reasons that had nothing to do with medicine. I did not get far. Book I stopped me. Odysseus, we are told almost in passing, once sailed to Ephyra to find a man named Ilus, son of Mermerus, and to ask him for a … Read more
SummaryDante Alighieri’s Inferno is a theological poem, yes, but it is also, almost incidentally, a forensic catalogue of medieval disease and healthcare. This article reads the poem through the lens of medical history: how Dante represents specific pathologies (dropsy, scabies and possibly leprosy, neurological deformity, hypothermia, traumatic mutism), how he mimics diagnostic observation, and how … Read more
I am a cardiac surgeon. My work is rooted in the operating room, in clinical decisions, and in the care of individual patients. At the same time, I have become deeply interested in medical data, statistics, coding, and artificial intelligence. My fascination with the history of medicine, however, has remained just as strong. At first … Read more
“Sickness, madness and death were the dark angels that had accompanied me since childhood.” Edvard Munch, Diaries, 1890 In the cold north of Europe, between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a Norwegian painter transformed his pain into vision. Not abstract pain, but one rooted in flesh, lungs, and nerves: a pain named tuberculosis, … Read more
The Death of the Grandmother: A Moment of Truth, Fragility, and Revelation Introduction In the third volume of “À la recherche du temps perdu”, Marcel Proust portrays the gradual illness and death of the narrator’s grandmother. This episode stands as one of the emotional, philosophical, and narrative pinnacles of the entire work. Through his meticulous … Read more
The Artist Gabriel Metsu (1629-1667) was a Dutch painter. Born in Leiden, where he studied at the Guild of Saint Luke, he later moved to Amsterdam. His paintings depict everyday life scenes with meticulous attention to detail. The Artwork Multiple versions of “The Doctor’s Visit” are attributed to Metsu, with the most renowned one housed … Read more
This highly acclaimed painting is not only a masterpiece of craftsmanship but also carries a powerful social message. It portrays the doctor as a deeply human figure, selflessly dedicated to caring for his young patient. The Artist Luke Fildes (1843–1927) was an English painter renowned for his portraiture. A prominent figure in Victorian art, he … Read more
The Author Albert Camus (1913–1960) was a French writer-philosopher and a key figure in existentialism. Born in Mondovi, Algeria, Camus began his philosophy studies in Algiers. He later moved to Paris where, during World War II, he actively participated in the resistance against Nazi occupation. His most renowned novel is “The Stranger.” In 1957, Camus … Read more
Scene: Violetta’s room. It is morning; the room is elegantly furnished but shows signs of her illness and poverty. Violetta is lying in bed, visibly weak. Annina is close to her. Dr. Grenvil enters. Annina: How is she, doctor? Dr. Grenvil: Alas, she is very ill. She has little time left… it’s agony. Consumption has … Read more
I alone remember. And if I don’t tell you, children, everything that was and everything we knew, all will be lost. Jack London (1867–1916) was a prolific American writer. He’s best known for adventure novels like “The Call of the Wild” and “White Fang,” but his vast work also addressed social issues. “The Scarlet Plague,” … Read more